Capitol orders probe on expired medicines

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has ordered a probe on medicines allegedly left to expire at the stockroom of the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office in Asturias town and on where the items were purchased.

"Well, first I would just want to make this very, very clear (that) these medicine did not come from the Provincial Health Office or from the Capitol. These were procured at local levels. And I have directed Dr. Cristina Giango to conduct a full investigation on the Asturias expired medicine," Garcia told reporters yesterday.

The governor further said that since she has supervisory control over government employees in the province and a committee was set up to conduct an investigation on erring public officials, she said Capitol can assist complainants in filing appropriate charges if the case is found meritorious.

Last week, the Asturias municipal council passed a resolution calling for an investigation on MSWDO chief Zenaida Cortes who allegedly stored more than 300 boxes of antibiotics and 50 tubes of tetracydine ophthalmic drops in the stockroom, left there to expire, when the items could have benefited a number of indigents in their town.

Municipal councilor Joel Dumdum said one of those who were given expired Amoxicillin was Emelita Tingal, of barangay Looc Norte, whose seven-month-old son suffered severe vomiting after taking the said expired medicine.

Further, the governor criticized the old practice in the distribution of medicines to the beneficiaries, as she learned that the items came from the Office of the Mayor.

Reports had it that beneficiaries would only be able to get medicines from the Office of the Mayor upon showing the physician's prescription.

The governor also recounted how municipal councils before diligently passed resolutions requesting for financial assistance from the Capitol for the purchase of medicine only to find out that they bought the items from agents of companies selling fake medicines.

But when the governor ordered that request for medicines shall be directed to the Provincial Health Office who shall directly grant medicines instead of financial assistance, no more resolution to this effect was ever forwarded to the Capitol.

This only goes to show that the municipal governments are in need of money and not of medicines, according to the governor. - Cristina C. Birondo