DPRD Finds Remaining Expired Drugs Worth IDR 7 Billion In Jember Pharmacy Warehouse

JEMBER - Commission D of the Jember Regional Representative Council (DPRD) found the remnants of various unused and expired medicines and medical materials worth more than IDR 7 billion which had been stored for 5 years in the Pharmacy Warehouse of the Jember Health Service, East Java.

"Drugs and medical consumables that are damaged and expired will indeed be destroyed by the Jember Health Service," said Jember DPRD Commission D member Ardi Pujo Prabowo in the local district, Monday, July 25.

This finding came after Commission D of the Jember DPRD conducted a surprise inspection at the drug warehouse belonging to the local Health Office.

He said that his party received a document from the Jember Health Office dated June 21, 2022, regarding the plan to destroy drugs and medical materials from 2016 to 2021 which was attached to the UPTD of the Jember Health Office Pharmacy Installation.

In detail, the medicines and medical materials from the district pharmacy installations were worth IDR 3.71 billion, then the Public Health Center (puskesmas) and Regional Health Laboratory (Labkesda) were valued at IDR 2.54 billion, and for the puskesmas the JKN (National Health Insurance) budget was IDR 832 million, bringing the total to IDR 7.08 billion.

"We found the fact that expired drugs to be destroyed reached more than IDR 7 billion. Is it because the planning for the procurement of drugs is not right or is it a waste of people's money," he said, quoted by Antara.

He explained that the procurement of JKN drugs through puskesmas had to be in accordance with the needs because each puskesmas, out of 50 puskesmas in Jember, had different needs.

"For that we need good planning related to the procurement of medicines and consumables so that there is no waste of people's money," said the Gerindra Party politician.

Ardi said the sudden inspection carried out by Commission D of the Jember DPRD at the pharmacy warehouse actually had two findings, namely the absence of anesthetic drugs (empty) and an abundance of expired drug stocks.

While Acting Head of Jember Health Office, dr. Lilik Lailiyah when confirmed by a number of journalists by telephone confirmed the plan to destroy drugs worth more than Rp. 7 billion, but the destruction must wait for the results of the examination by the Regional Financial and Asset Management Agency (BPKAD)

"The drugs that will be destroyed will be from 2016 to 2021, but not all of them are from the Jember Regional Budget (APBD) program because there are drugs that come from the Central Government program," he said.