PAC Report: Over Rs 200 Million Losses in Medicine Warehouses
Title: PAC Report: Over Rs 200 Million Losses in Medicine Warehouses
Content: The Ministry of Health's warehouses in Plaine Lauzun are infested with rats, unsanitary, and lack electricity. This is the finding of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which released a special report on the storage of medicines this Tuesday.
The document highlights numerous deficiencies within the Central Supplies Division, including deteriorating buildings with damaged ceilings and a lack of air conditioning for temperature-sensitive products in New Grove.
The PAC indicates a serious failure in the storage system, leading to financial losses estimated at over 200 million rupees in expired medicines. Chaired by opposition whip Adrien Duval, the committee recommends urgent measures to modernize and secure the national storage system.
Of the five sites inspected, the infrastructures are in poor condition. In Plaine Lauzun, cracks and the presence of rodents were observed, damaging the packaging of medical supplies and raising contamination risks.
The lack of electricity in several warehouses presents another major issue: at least three sites are completely without power, preventing any ventilation or air conditioning. This situation is critical for sensitive medications, which deteriorate faster under heat.
The report also notes inconsistencies in inventory management, particularly in New Grove where temperature-controlled warehouses store expired products, while essential medications are poorly preserved elsewhere. Due to the absence of an adequate system, management still relies on paper records, and the cold chain is not maintained.
These failures have led to losses amounting to Rs 213 million in expired medicines over three years, according to the PAC report, which also highlights safety risks for staff due to a lack of protective equipment and the storage of flammable products under inappropriate conditions.
In light of this situation, the committee recommends urgent actions, including the evacuation of the most degraded sites and the centralization of operations in a modern warehouse. It also advocates for the immediate creation of a high-level steering committee involving several ministries to coordinate the project with clear deadlines.
Originally estimated at Rs 60 million in 2009, this project would now exceed Rs 2 billion. The report finally calls for a comprehensive reform of the system to ensure better safety and access to healthcare.