Health
MPs pin Soroti hospital over Sh79m expired drugs
“I must admit that sometimes the eyes of the auditors act as a wake-up call. We may not see every corner. But following this, a lot of changes have happened. As we speak now, any medicine less than three months old, we don’t accept,” Watmon admitted.
The document indicates that drugs worth Sh79.5 million, comprising antiretrovirals (ARVs), anti-tuberculosis medicines and laboratory supplies, had gone to waste during the period under review.
By: Dedan Kimathi, Journalist @New Vision
Lawmakers want Soroti Regional Referral Hospital administrators held accountable for receiving drugs with a short shelf life that later expired.
The concern was raised on Thursday, September 17, 2026, during an interaction between Members of Parliament (MPs) on the Public Accounts Committee (PAC-Central) and hospital officials.
The committee was led by Vice Chairperson Sarah Lwansasula (Jinja City Woman MP, NUP), while the hospital delegation, on the other hand, was headed by its Accounting Officer Dr. Benedicto Watmon.
Trouble emanated from Auditor General (AG) Edward Akol’s report on the hospital for the 2024/25 financial year.
The document indicates that drugs worth Sh79.5 million, comprising antiretrovirals (ARVs), anti-tuberculosis medicines and laboratory supplies, had gone to waste during the period under review.
Several legislators, including Lwansasula and Ignatius Mudiimi (Elgon County), attributed this to negligence.
“This is so wrong. Did you have a conversation with them (National Medical Stores)? How could they deliver medicine that had already expired? We would also love to hear why they delivered expired medicine. It is a risk to people,” Lwansasula cautioned.
“I wonder how many people had already been given these drugs,” she added.
“Something had expired, and you received it. What was the basis? Do you really take your work seriously?” quipped Mudiimi.
He added that the hospital should have outrightly rejected the expired drugs. But having received it, it may have been administered to unsuspecting members of the public, which poses a grave risk.
Several legislators, including Lwansasula and Ignatius Mudiimi (Elgon County), attributed this to negligence.
“This is so wrong. Did you have a conversation with them (National Medical Stores)? How could they deliver medicine that had already expired? We would also love to hear why they delivered expired medicine. It is a risk to people,” Lwansasula cautioned.
“I wonder how many people had already been given these drugs,” she added.
“Something had expired, and you received it. What was the basis? Do you really take your work seriously?” quipped Mudiimi.
He added that the hospital should have outrightly rejected the expired drugs. But having received it, it may have been administered to unsuspecting members of the public, which poses a grave risk.
“It might have been given to Iteso (natives) in the village. Because, once you put it in the store, and you were not so keen when receiving. It must have been dispensed,” Mudiimi pointed out.
Hospital managers respond
Soroti Regional Referral Hospital Accounting Officer said the facility had since made amends and that such incidents were no longer occurring.
Adding that the hospital had established a committee that works with the Resident City Commissioner (RCC) to monitor drug supplies. He said whenever drugs are found to have expired, they are returned to the supplier for proper disposal.
“I must admit that sometimes the eyes of the auditors act as a wake-up call. We may not see every corner. But following this, a lot of changes have happened. As we speak now, any medicine less than three months old, we don’t accept,” Watmon admitted.
The officials also explained that whenever an item they had ordered expires, they notify the National Medical Stores (NMS).
Hospital managers respond
Soroti Regional Referral Hospital Accounting Officer said the facility had since made amends and that such incidents were no longer occurring.
Adding that the hospital had established a committee that works with the Resident City Commissioner (RCC) to monitor drug supplies. He said whenever drugs are found to have expired, they are returned to the supplier for proper disposal.
“I must admit that sometimes the eyes of the auditors act as a wake-up call. We may not see every corner. But following this, a lot of changes have happened. As we speak now, any medicine less than three months old, we don’t accept,” Watmon admitted.
The officials also explained that whenever an item they had ordered expires, they notify the National Medical Stores (NMS).