US NGO dumps expired medical equipment on MP

The Brong-Ahafo Regional office of Food and Drugs Board (FDB), on Thursday destroyed a quantity of expired medical items at Kukuom in Asunafo South District of Brong-Ahafo Region.

The items were donated by Heart Foundation, a United States of America-based health non-governmental organisation (NGO), through the initiative of Mr. George Yaw Boakye, Member of Parliament (MP) for the area.

The items were to be distributed by the District Health Directorate to selected health facilities in the district for the treatment of Buruli Ulcer, which is endemic in the area.

The medical items included drasiy change tracy, foaned antiseptic, sunmark rolled gauze bandages, kondal tarderab pad, triflex gloves, scrub care impregnated sponge sticlus, tegaderm foam adhesive and tegaderm matrix.

Present at the destruction site were officers from the Environmental Protection Agency in Sunyani and the District Health Directorate.

Mr. Abraham Atta Bosompim, the District Chief Executive (DCE), said that a female caller on a radio programme at Goaso indicated that expired medical items had been donated to the District Health Directorate.

He said the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) informed the FDB for the appropriate action as some of the items had already been allocated to the District Health Centre at Kukuom, Norbekow and Sankore Health Centres.

The DCE explained that the absence of the media and security personnel at the site of destruction was due to miscommunication.

Mr. Bosompim said to avoid future receipts of unwholesome items and miscommunication among stakeholders, the district security council had decided at a meeting to invite the MP for a discussion on the matter.

He said the MP would be asked to write to caution Heart Foundation that Ghana is not a dumping ground for expired medical items

Mr. Jeremiah Ewudzie-Sampson, a regulation officer, who led a three-man FDB team, said following the information from the BNI, the Regional Officer of FDB, “Mr. Matthew Gyang Nkum, led a team to verify and separate the expired medical items from the unexpired ones”.

He said that the destruction of the items was “a voluntary disposal” and had no criminal intention.

Dr. Emmanuel Tinkorang, Deputy Director of Public Health in Brong-Ahafo, confirmed to the media that the items destroyed, were expired.

He appealed to local and international donors, including health NGOs to obey the Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service policy on donation, by ensure that only wholesome medical items are donated.