Daud Olatunji
In a significant move to safeguard public health, the Benue State Government took action on Friday by destroying expired drugs with a staggering value of over N200 million.
This crucial action was carried out within the premises of the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, situated along Gboko road in Makurdi.
The decision to incinerate the expired drugs came after the Chief Medical Director of BSUTH, Stephen Hwande, revealed his intention to dispose of these expired medications previously stored at the Muhammad Buhari Mother and Child Hospital in the state capital.
At the site where the expired drugs were destroyed, Hwande addressed journalists, emphasizing that these drugs belonged to the Teaching Hospital, raising questions about how and why they had been left to expire.
“These are drugs acquired by the hospital to be used for the patients. So why did they abandon the drugs to the point of expiration, no one can say,” Hwande stated.
He further explained that when hospitals receive drugs with limited shelf lives, they can distribute them to other healthcare facilities, such as Internally Displaced Persons camps or conduct medical outreach programs to ensure they are utilized before expiring.
Hwande stressed that there was no justification for allowing drugs of such considerable value to expire when the entire state was in need of medications.
Hwande added, “To keep our records straight because sometimes people may even go to the store and still use them, so we decided to destroy the drugs.”
The destroyed drugs encompassed a wide range, including antibiotics, anti-hypertensive medications, anti-malaria drugs, as well as consumables such as iodine, bandages, and urine bags.
The quantity of these medications was substantial, capable of forming a substantial pharmacy in Makurdi.
In addition to addressing the issue of expired drugs, the Chief Medical Director disclosed that the hospital was grappling with a concerning problem of 100 unclaimed corpses in the hospital morgue.
He mentioned that the hospital had taken the necessary steps by writing to the State Commissioner of Police, seeking permission to dispose of these unclaimed remains.
Hwande stated, “On assumption of office, I went round the stores and I discovered drugs worth over N200 million and consumables in the stores. I also discovered over 100 unclaimed corpses in the morgue.”
This dual effort by the Benue State Government serves as a testament to their commitment to ensuring public health and responsible healthcare management, while also addressing the sensitive matter of unclaimed bodies in the morgue.
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