Expired medicines given to Odisha patients, says CAG

Bhubaneswar, July 29 (IANS) A total 31 types of time-expired medicines were administered to patients in Odisha during 2007-13, said a CAG report that showed how the state jeopardised health of its citizens.

P. Sitaram, additional director of the state's health department, Tuesday told IANS: "The use of time expired medicine may cause allergic or toxic reactions."

According to the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India on the state's general and social sector for the year ended March 2013, time expired medicines valued at Rs.74,000 were administered to patients in the state.

The report tabled in the state assembly Monday, a copy of which is with IANS, said that the medicines were administered to patients in Cuttack, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj and Sundergarh district during 2007-13.

"In order to ensure that expired medicines are not administered to patients, medical officers are required to conduct physical verification of stocks of medicines and weed out time expired medicines," the report said.

"On being pointed out, concerned medical officers stated that time expired medicines were used due to excess supply of drugs lying in stock, non-recording batch number, expiry date of medicines in stock registers and receipt of such drugs," the report said.

The state government said in December 2013 that steps are being taken through online Drug Inventory Management System up to the level of community health centre (CHC) with FEFO (First Expiry First Out) method and an alert system so that consumption of drugs can be monitored three months before expiry date.

The report also said that during audit, it was found that 19 essential drugs valued at Rs.14.84 lakh procured during 2008-09 were distributed to various rural medical institutions without any quality testing and administered to rural patients.

A total of 1.37 lakh tablets worth Rs.7.45 lakh issued to the community health centres were poorly utilised or expired, the report pointed out.