Breach of drug import, says society

PHARMACEUTICAL Society of Papua New Guinea president Anita Ireng alleges that the United Nations Office of Project Services (UNOPS) breached the standard drug ordering process of the Health Department.
“The ordering of the Propofol injection by UNOPS had bypassed the department ordering system and their procurement process is now questionable,” she added.
She was testifying at the Rex Wanzing Coroner’s Inquest last week.
Ireng was referring to UNOPS’ import of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic medical supplies, including the batch of Propofol-21007, which allegedly caused the death of Wanzing and three others at the Port Moresby General Hospital on Aug 12, 2021.
She said the society had questioned the procurement process upon hearing about the Propofol saga that claimed the lives of four.
“This has prompted the society with interest to request the department in the early stage of the inquiry to provide some information,” she said.
She said on Oct 12, 2021, the society released a statement in The National urging the department to carry out a proper investigation.
“At that time, it was already a court matter and the investigation was at a slow start,” she said.
Ireng said as a pharmacist, one of the main concerns of the medicines entering the country was falsified medicines.
“Medicines that are not of good manufacturing practice certified is not procured or approved under the pharmaceutical law of the country,” she added.
She said the society was also concerned with political manipulations of the pharmaceutical sector at that time with leaders not fearful of the consequences it would have in the public health, only going for profis.
“The press statement released in the media was to seek the attention of the Health secretary and the Health minister at that time to explain to the public how the drugs were imported without the department’s standard procurement process,” she said.