Allegations of irregularities are rife against the Central Medical Stores Depot (CMSD) responsible for the procuring and supplying medicines to state-run hospitals.
CMSD runs under the health ministry’s Health Services Division and has to procure medicines through tenders after receiving a requisition from the hospitals.
However, a government audit found that the organisation has been purchasing nearly-expired medicines without any requisition. The irregularity, reportedly to facilitate corrupt employees and contracting agencies, has caused the government a loss of nearly Tk 20 million.
In 2014, the government’s audit department for foreign aid project conducted an audit on CMSD’s purchase of the 2012-13 fiscal year.
An inspection of the documents revealed that medicines brought in several packages including GR-1205 lot-1 and 2 that year had expired and due steps were not taken.
The documents showed that the medicines were procured six months to one year before expiring and that too without requisition from any hospital, going to waste at the storage.
On Apr 8, 2014, the audit directorate wrote to the authorities concerned mentioning the losses after it failed to receive an explanation from CMSD authorities.
Failing to receive an explanation even then, the audit authorities wrote to the health secretary on Oct 5, 2015. They are yet to receive any reply three years later.
The audit recommendation included identifying those responsible for the irregularities, collecting the nearly Tk 20 million from them and depositing it in the government treasury.
CMSD Deputy Director Abul Kalam refused an interview over the matter and his assistant informed Bangla Tribune that he will not speak to the media regarding this.
Meanwhile, Health Services Division Secretary Md Asadul Islam didn’t receive calls or reply to texts when Bangla Tribune tried to reach him for comments.