Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe, Gombe State has destroyed a total of 1,050 kilogrammes of expired drugs, 37.8 kilogrammes of toxic drugs and other expired medical consumables.
During the exercise held at the hospital’s incinerators’ room, the head of Pharmacy Department of the facility, Adamu Sallah, explained that the destruction of expired drugs is a routine exercise aimed at safeguarding public health.
According to him, the goal of the hospital is to guarantee that patients receive only standard and harmless medications.
“This proactive measure is expected to boost confidence between patients and the hospital,” he said adding that the exercise was carried out using the hospital’s state-of-the-art incinerator to ensure proper disposal and minimise environmental pollution.
Also, chairman of the committee for the drug disposal, Abu Ubaida Mu’azu, extended an invitation to other health facilities in the state to utilise the hospital’s incinerator for disposing of expired drugs and equipment.
The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) lauded the hospital’s efforts in conducting the destruction of expired drugs.
Senior regulatory officer of NAFDAC, Khadija Adamu, who inspected the exercise emphasised the agency’s commitment to ensuring that healthcare facilities do not administer fake or expired drugs to patients.
“Facilities found guilty of such practices risk being fined as expired drugs can be harmful and even deadly,” she warned.
The public affairs officer of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Agency (NESREA), Sani Auwalu, commended the hospital for observing established guidelines in the disposal of the drugs and for its diligence in preventing environmental threats.
