Times Of Swaziland: CLAIMS CMS  WORKER  SUSPENDED FOR  REVEALING  EXPIRED DRUGS

CLAIMS CMS  WORKER  SUSPENDED FOR  REVEALING  EXPIRED DRUGS
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Siboniso Nkambule on 12/11/2024 08:42:00


MBABANE – There are allegations that an employee of the Central Medical Stores
(CMS) was suspended for ‘whistleblowing’.
The allegations came to light yesterday during the debate on the Ministry of
Health Second Quarter report by the ministry’s House of Assembly Portfolio
Committee. Somntongo Member of Parliament (MP), Sandile Nxumalo, in Parliament,
demanded accountability from the Ministry of Health, as he purported a CMS
official was suspended for revealing expired drugs to the Public Accounts
Committee (PAC).
Nxumalo disclosed that the official was supposedly victimised before being
suspended for the revelation. The PAC recently made a surprise visit to the CMS.
 The PAC discovered that apart from the hundreds of millions worth of expired
medical drugs, there were about E10 million of medical waste buckets, which were
mistakenly ordered. The CMS staff failed to provide an explanation for the
unnecessary procurement of the medical waste buckets much to the amazement of
the PAC.
It was unclear how government ended up paying for the buckets, as some of the
staff said the buckets were ordered by mistake, while others said it was a case
of an oversupply by the supplier. The PAC’s visit was meant to verify the
findings of the Office of the Auditor General (AG), Timothy Matsebula. According
to Nxumalo, during their visit, the official in question allegedly disclosed
information about expired drugs. He said as the PAC and portfolio committee,
they had received information that the official was allegedly victimised after
their visit.
Targeted
Adding, Nxumalo stated that the official was allegedly suspended thereafter.
Nxumalo claimed the official was being unfairly targeted for revealing
uncomfortable truths. The MP called for the immediate reinstatement of the
suspended official. He went on to state that cancer patients in the country had
signed a death sentence. He questioned what the Ministry of Health was doing to
assist the cancer patients visiting health facilities. According to Nxumalo, the
ministry cannot declare that it cannot assist some patients, as doing so would
be tantamount to a death sentence. On the same note, Ngudzeni MP Charles Ndlovu
asked the ministry on their interventions to address the drug shortages in the
country.
Also, Kubuta MP Masiphula Mamba asked the ministry what they are doing to pay
debts, including that of Phalala Fund. Mamba asked about the impact of the debts
on the companies being owed and further urged the ministry to prioritise paying
the debts to avoid disruption of the health system. Meanwhile, Kumethula
Jabulani Simelane suggested that the ministry should approach Parliament for a
loan bill to address the challenges faced by the health sector. Simelane also
suggested arrests on the culprits involved in the disappearance of the drugs in
health facilities and at CMS.
He said without holding individuals accountable for their actions, the issue of
drugs shortage will not end. Meanwhile, the Minister of Health, Mduduzi
Matsebula, is expected to submit written responses today at 2 pm.