Dispatch from Crame No. 936:
Sen. Leila M. de Lima's Statement on the ?2.2B worth of DOH drugs expired or sitting in storage

10/8/20

It is enraging, as it is a cause for serious concern, to learn of the COA report revealing that the DOH has approximately ₱2.2 billion in expired, nearly expired, or overstocked drugs, medicines, and other supplies in its inventory.

This level of mismanagement and inefficiency from the principal agency mandated to safeguard public health is completely unacceptable! It would have been bad enough if this happened without the specter of the worst public health emergency in living memory looming over us, but these negligent acts are further compounded with a crisis of this magnitude.

Mantakin ninyo, habang namamatay na lamang sa paghihintay para sa libreng gamot ang mga kababayan nating nakaratay sa banig ng karamdaman, heto ang DOH na hinayaan lang masayang ang mga gamot na dapat sana'y nagdugtong sa kanilang mga buhay! Anong klaseng liderato meron ang ahensyang ito? Puro kapalpakan at pugad ng katiwalian! Heartless, truly heartless - how can you let these needed lifelines rot under your watch, while thousands of sick Filipinos wait for hours in line under the scorching heat begging for medical assistance.

The DOH's margin for error is practically non-existent as the country continues to record thousands of new COVID-19 cases a day, yet they continue to operate as if peoples' lives do not depend on the prompt delivery and distribution of medicines and other medical supplies and services. However, this is not the first time this has happened as the COA had already flagged the DOH for similar acts of negligence in 2019. This suggests that the problems are systemic and thus deeply rooted in our public health institutions.

Nasasayang ang pera ng taumbayan dahil sa kapabayaan ninyo! Kung hindi kayo nanghihinayang sa mga gamot na 'di nagagamit, manghinayang naman kayo sa buhay na maaari sana nitong nailigtas.

Utang na loob DOH, pakiayos naman. Hindi puwedeng taon-taon na lang kayo ipatatawag sa principal's office, mangangakong magbabago, tapos babalik din sa nakagawian. Mahiya naman kayo!

This is the proverbial straw that breaks the camel's back. Sagad na sagad na ang pasensya ng taumbayan. Dapat itong imbestigahan. Managot ang dapat managot. ###

Access the handwritten copy of Dispatch from Crame No. 936, here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatch_no._936