Medicines for patients with diabetes were valued at 15 million reais; have been incinerated after the expiration date
The Ministry of Health discarded 999,700 rapid-acting insulin pens during the administration of former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL). Valued at nearly 15 million reais, the medicines expired from September 2020 to June 2021. The lots were part of a purchase of 4 million reais, made in 2018. The expired products were incinerated, which cost the coffers 64,000 reais public.
Second Folha de S. Paulo, the doctors’ and patients’ associations have even warned the ministry, before the end of the validity, of the excessive bureaucracy to access the product. “Sometimes the doctor has to fill out a six-page document. I studied medicine to examine patients, not for that,” said the president of the Brazilian Diabetes Society, physician Levimar Araújo. For him, the correct thing would be to release the medicine to the patient through a simpler prescription.
Rapid-acting insulin helps reduce episodes of hypoglycemia. Without it, patients are more likely to suffer complications of diabetes, such as blindness and amputations. The Federal Court of Auditors (TCU) launched an investigation in March to assess the responsibility for the mismanagement of medical supplies. For the court, there were “deficiencies in recruitment planning”.
Lost shares in SUS
Other medicines were also lost during the Bolsonaro administration. According to the survey conducted by the newspaper, in 2019 around 39 million immunizers against covid were rejected, worth R $ 2 billion. Another 7.4 million vials of the vaccine, worth an estimated BRL 128 million, were also lost. Consult the list of lost products:
– Vaccines for covid-1939 million doses / BRL 2 billion
– Other vaccines: 7.4 million vials*/128 million BRL
– Insulin pen: 1 million units/15 million BRL
– Therapies for rare diseases: at least 12 types / BRL 13 million
– Other admissions: around 96 million
Total lost: approximately BRL 2.2 billion*-
What does Health say?
The loss of vaccines, medicines and other inputs “reflects the negligence of the previous government, which denied the transition team information on stocks and validity of these products,” the health ministry said in a statement sent to the newspaper. The folder states that work is underway to adjust stocks, improve product distribution and seek solutions with state and municipal secretariats to avoid further waste.
Luiz Henrique Mandetta, who led the portfolio from January 2019 to April 2020, said that during his time in charge of the ministry, efforts were made to adapt inventory management, moving products from warehouses in Rio de Janeiro to a plant in Guarulhos, in Grande San Paolo.
The current federal deputy Eduardo Pazuello (PL-RJ), who was also Minister of Health in the Bolsonaro government (from June 2020 to March 2021), did not comment, from March 2021 to December 2022 he said he had no data on the inventories and that this information is provided by the technical areas.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
