Kampala — THE National Medical Stores has reduced prices of drugs with a short-shelf life to avoid their expiry, MPs have heard.

Fort-Portal Hospital medical superintendent Charles Olaro told the public accounts committee on Monday that hospitals had, however, shunned the offer on grounds that the drugs could expire before being used.

"The procurement process of drugs from the stores contributes a lot to the expiry of drugs. They have even called us to buy some of the short-shelf life drugs at a reduced price but we have refused. We fear that the drugs could expire before we use them," he said.

Olaro was responding to queries raised by the Auditor General in a report to the Parliament that expired and expiring drugs had remained a common occurrence in most hospitals.

"Expired drugs not only pose a danger to the stores' personnel but also costly to keep, and occupy space that would be utilised for other purposes," the report read.

The former superintendent of Fort-portal Hospital, Shaban Abdallah, attributed the problem to the health ministry through the NMS 'push' system whereby drugs are pushed to the user hospitals through donations without due regard to their consumption habits.

The Auditor General advised the health ministry to set up a policy regarding donation of drugs to avoid referral hospitals being turned into 'dumping grounds'.

"They can reduce prices if they realise that the drugs are about to expire but we have not received any communication to that effect," state minister for primary healthcare Emanuel Otaala said.

He also dismissed allegations that the drugs expire in hospitals because of the 'Push' system.

"The push system was discarded long time ago. We now operate the pull system where hospitals order for drugs according to their demands.

"No one should blame the ministry for the expired drugs in Hospitals,"Otaala said.

The committee also heard that Fort-Portal Hospital diverted sh32m meant for critical drugs to cover transport allowances.