Tamale Teaching Hospital never stocked expired drugs - Doctors

Authorities at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) have rebuffed claims by doctors at the facility that they are being provided with expired anesthesia drugs.


Some doctors at the hospital have threatened to withdraw anesthesia services after patience suffered multiple complications following what they claimed as the international provision of expired anesthesia drugs.


In a letter issued on February 13, 2017 by chief anesthetist, the Doctors said they were compelled to take the decision due to management insistence that they used the expired anesthesia drug being supplied, “the letter read in parts”.


Speaking to the media, the facility’s public relationship officer, Ahmed Fareed described the claim as preposterous and unfounded.


Authorities at the facility, he said, visited the medical stores following the claims but disappointedly, “ no expired drugs were seen.”


“There is no point in time, that the hospital supplied anesthetic drug with any expired date. There was no memo to the medical Director by anesthetics withdrawing services for which they alleged that drugs provided them were expired drugs,” he said.


In the wake of the circulation of this misleading story, the FDA lead by Martin Kusi, Acting Regional Head of FDA, visited the hospital on last Friday, only to discover that, the claims of expired drugs were false.


Interestingly, information gathered from sources within the hospital have revealed that, some of these doctors who have launched this smear-attack on the Pharmaceutical Department have their own Clinics and pharmacies where they do refer patients who come to the hospital to.


According to the information, these doctors have devise ways of smuggling drugs, which expired, from their private clinics and pharmacies into the hospital stores, an incident which the Pharmaceutical department have fought against over some period.


The more dangerous aspect of the discovery was that, some of the drugs that the anesthetists returned for inspection were not captured in the records of the stores and have not been part of the stock of the hospital for years.


Checks have revealed that drugs such as Etomidate has since the history of the hospital, never been ordered for use by the hospital, whilst some other drugs claimed to have expired at the hospital, are strange products to the hospital in terms of their brand and badges.



This has generated a lot of agitation and counter agitations as some youth groups are now calling for the head of the anesthetics department, for deliberating misinforming the public.


With the emerging developments, the anesthetics and doctors have been asked to prove to the whole nation where these drugs were coming from.


Section of the general public has developed interest in the current happenings and holds a view that, the hospital is bedeviled with factions.


Some staff who spoke on anonymity asserted that, the allegations peddled was a calculated attempt to destroy the hard won reputation of the Director of Pharmacy, who has been serving the hospital for the parts 16 years with so much credibility.


He is noted for competency and due diligence in the discharge of his duties and could not have condone such irresponsible act.


They indicated that, the unfortunate action by the doctors and anesthetics at the hospital is unprofessional, and for that matter there is every reason for them to be properly advised against such mischief.


According to hospital staff, the ongoing development could cause serious threat to the lives of patients and for that matter, called for action against doctors who would be found culpable in the attempt to put the lives of patients in danger whilst pursuing their own parochial interests. This has further strengthened the call for the removal of the Chief Executive officer (CEO).