• Rs. 111 m spent on blood glucose test strips while Rs. 219 m strips remained unused at MSD
• Rs. 109 m worth Altracurium injections and Nitroglycerin sublingual tablets expire, fmr. at MSD Warehouse No. 6 

The Medical and Civil Rights Professional Association of Doctors (MCPA) claimed that hospitals across the country had purchased blood glucose test strips at higher prices in 2022 and 2023, while stocks worth nearly Rs. 219 million remained unused and eventually expired at the Medical Supply Division (MSD).

Speaking to The Daily Morning, MCPA President Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa said that a recent audit report revealed that the expired blood glucose strips, procured under the Ministry of Health’s Covid-19 Emergency Response Project funded by the World Bank, had been received by the MSD a few years ago. However, he alleged that they had not been distributed to hospitals even by 31 January of this year.

“When these strips were lying in storage, hospital authorities had gone ahead with regional purchases – Rs. 59 million worth of strips in 2022 and Rs. 52 million worth in 2023 – at higher rates. The report attributes this situation to official negligence, and describes it as a major economic loss to the State,” he said.

During the same period, he said that the report noted that a stock of Atracurium injection (a non-depolarising neuromuscular blocking agent that facilitates endotracheal intubation and skeletal muscle relaxation during surgery or mechanical ventilation) worth Rs. 38 million had expired at Warehouse Number Six of the MSD due to improper cold chain maintenance. In addition, Nitroglycerin sublingual tablets valued at Rs. 71 million have also expired while in storage.

According to Dr. Sanjeewa, the audit further revealed that as of 31 December of last year (2024), a total of 892 medical supply items worth Rs. 900 million had expired within the MSD supply chain.

Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni was not available for comment.