Tulfo seeks probe into DOH expired medicines, vaccines

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MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Raffy Tulfo has filed a Senate resolution seeking to investigate the Commission on Audit (COA)’s findings on billions of pesos worth of expired and unutilized medicines and vaccines procured by the Department of Health (DOH) from 2018 to 2024.

In filing Senate Resolution No. 403, Tulfo underscored the need to strengthen procurement, inventory and medicine distribution systems, which COA has repeatedly reported deficiencies in on the part of the DOH, resulting in billions of pesos worth of public funds wasted.

“There need to be cases filed or personnel fired or jailed whether in the DOH or other government or private agencies found to be in cahoots (with the anomaly),” he said in Filipino. 

Tulfo said he was prompted to file the resolution amid complaints he received from patients about lack of medicines in public hospitals and barangay health centers. 

Tulfo said COA findings have consistently shown a recurring pattern of wastage involving medicines, vaccines, and medical supplies procured by the DOH amounting to hundreds of millions to billions of pesos in losses over the years: P18.5 billion from 2015 to 2018, P2.2 billion in 2019, P95 million in 2020, P85 million in 2021, P7.4 billion in 2022, P11.18 billion in 2023 and P134 million in 2024. 

He noted that the COA in its 2024 audit report said that around P34.8 million worth of drugs, medicines and other medical inventories had already expired, while another P99.5 million worth were about to expire due to deficiencies in inventory management that affected procurement planning, distribution and monitoring. 

The COA also stated that overstocking led to products expiring, resulting in wasted resources that could have benefited health services, particularly in low-income regions.  

“While millions of marginalized Filipinos continue to face difficulties in accessing free vitamin supplements and maintenance medicines for conditions such as diabetes and hypertension in barangay health centers and public hospitals, medicines and medical supplies procured using public funds are reportedly being left to expire in DOH warehouses and health facilities rather than reaching their intended beneficiaries,” he said.

“Medicines continue to be among the largest out-of-pocket healthcare costs of Filipino families; thus, it is necessary to conduct an inquiry in order to determine accountability, identify the responsible officials, and address systemic weaknesses within the DOH that have allowed the continued wastage, overstocking and non-utilization of publicly funded medicines and medical supplies,” he added.