The management of Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) has taken the significant step of disposing of expired drugs and medical consumables valued at 200 million naira.
According to Dr Stephen Hwande, the Chief Medical Director of the university teaching hospital (BSUTH), these drugs had been procured by the hospital but had remained unused.
Dr Hwande also made a startling revelation that the hospital’s morgue held over 100 unclaimed corpses, and he has formally reached out to the Commissioner of Police to seek guidance on the appropriate course of action.
Before Dr Stephen Hwande‘s appointment, patients were routinely required to purchase essential drugs and medical supplies, such as paracetamol and hand gloves, along with other medicines and medical consumables. This marked a significant shift in the hospital’s approach to healthcare provision.
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What Dr. Stephen Hwande said:
- “The drugs and consumables were acquired by the hospital, but the same hospital abandoned them to expire in the store.”
- “Incidentally, the same hospital went ahead to privatise its pharmaceutical department,” he said.”
- “Today we are destroying expired drugs and consumables that are worth over N200m.”
- “I came here two weeks ago and have visited every store.”
- “During the visit, I discovered drugs worth close to N200 million and consumables inside the store.”
- “What is surprising is that these drugs were acquired to be used by this hospital, so why abandon them and privatise the hospital pharmaceutical department.”
- “You can distribute the drugs to the general hospitals or other hospitals in the state for usage.”
- “You can also send them to the IDP camps or carry out community medical outreach.”
- “So, there is no reason to allow this quantity of drugs to expire.”