Reps To Probe Alleged N.4m Expired Drugs At Lagos Hospital

Following allegations of financial improriety leveled against the National Orthopedic Hospital, Igbobi Lagos, the House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts on Monday, set up an ad hoc panel consisting of some members of its members to look into it.The allegations, according to a query from the Office of Auditor General of the Federation to the House, includes the unclear destruction of 86 different types of drugs costing N406, 103. 90k expired in 2011 and the controversial offsetting of medical bills in the hospital, totalling N638, 380.At its hearing, chairman of the Committee, Hon. Kingsley Chinda noted the need to carry out status inquiries of the current situation by the hospital authorities, beyond the oral and written evidences that have been given.Members were piqued that based on non availability of report on destruction of the expired drugs as claimed, the drugs may not have been discarded, but still in circulation.The lawmakers also expressed worry over the hospital authorities claim that the medical bills of the patients were actually offset, at the time the manipulative tendencies in the action of the hospital was alleged.Chinda named the Chairman, House committee on Ethics and Privileges, Hon. Ossai Nicholas Ossai as chairman of the ad hoc committee with a mandate to report back to the committee in three weeks.Earlier In his defence, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Olurotimi Odunubi posited that the expired drugs had already been destroyed.
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