The management of the Benue State University Teaching Hospital destroyed expired drugs and medical consumables worth 200 million naira.
The chief medical director of the university teaching hospital, Dr. Stephen Hwande said that the drugs were acquired by the hospital but were left unused.
He said he discovered over 100 unclaimed corpses in the hospital’s morgue and had written to the Commissioner of Police for permission on what to do.
Before the appointment of Dr. Stephen Hwande, patients were asked by the hospital to buy basic drugs and medical supplies like paracetamol, and hand gloves, amongst other medicines and medical consumables.
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.”
The State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, had approved Hwande’s appointment as the new chief medical director of the hospital on October 17.
