Labour inducing drug distributed despite failing quality test

National

IN 2014, Misoprostol, a drug that helps induce labour for pregnant women, was distributed throughout Morobe despite failing the quality test, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) heard yesterday.
National Department of Health (NDoH)’s acting executive manager (chief medical services) Dr Duncan Dobunaba said he could not confirm whether Misoprostol was recalled and destroyed.
Dobunaba was testifying on the fifth session of the PAC’s inquiry into the procurement and supply of medicine and medical kits worth more than K100 million to Borneo Pacific Pharmaceuticals Ltd (BPPL) this year.
He said all medicines and pharmaceutical drugs brought in by BPPL were sent to a facility in Taiwan to be tested.
“All the medicines and pharmaceutical drugs had passed the test except Misoprostol,” he added.
However, Global Logistics, the company contracted to distribute and deliver medical supplies in Morobe at that time told the inquiry in writing that they had gone ahead and delivered the medicines and pharmaceutical drugs that were brought in by BPPL before the test results.
PAC deputy chairman Gary Juffa told Dobunaba to explain why the failed Misoprostol supplies were not recalled and destroyed.
Dobunaba said: “At that time, I was attached with another sub-department in the NDoH.” He, however, agreed with Juffa that the failed Misoprostol could have killed many pregnant mothers who needed to be induced to deliver.
Dobunaba said he would check the records and report back to the PAC on Monday to confirm whether the Misoprostol were distributed.

2 comments

  • PAC, keep at it…very interesting how these guys treated our nationals in the manner that is unraveling….Global Logistics, carried out its contracted duty to deliver the drugs [no issue with that] without knowing which drugs failed quality tests…that is a technical matter that was made known to the “RESPONSIBLE” authorities at that time….and definitely somebody failed to recall those useless but potentially dangerous Misoprostols…
    This is ridiculous!!

  • Seriously there is a need for experienced but smart people to run the health department. The current Secretary revealed his incompetency already,

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