The Department of Health (DOH) said that the P2.7 billion worth of medicines, which were previously questioned by Senator Panfilo Lacson, were already distributed to the different hospitals in the country.
"We would like to respond to the claim on the P2.7 billion undistributed medicines. We have already submitted our clarification to the Senate and have stated that we have implemented a majority of the COA’s (Commission on Audit) recommendation from 2013 to 2020," said DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Friday, Oct. 8.
"Naidistribute na po ito sa ating mga hospital at nakuha na po ng ating mga kababayan (The were already distributed to our hospitals and were able to receive by our citizens)," she added.
Last August, Lacson flagged the DOH on the "overstocked, expired and near-expiry medicines amounting to P2.736 billion."
“We wasted P2.736 billion in taxpayers’ money. What’s the reason for this? Why are we overstocking? Why are we buying medicines near their expiration dates?" he then said.
Ambulance
Vergeire also defended the DOH’s purchase of ambulances which were also flagged by Lacson for being “overpriced.”
The DOH spokesperson said that the procurement of ambulances was done through a “competitive bidding.”
“The ambulances procured by the local government units and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) are patient type transport vehicles only,” said Vergeire.
“Further, the approved budget for the contract of Type 1 ambulances at P2.5 million per unit, we were able to procure it at P2.2 million per unit through competitive bidding,” she added.
Vergeire said “it is misleading to compare the ambulances of the local governments and PCSO which are patient transport vehicles only.” She added that the ambulances procured by the DOH were equipped with “major equipment.”
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