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CONCERNS have been raised over issues of due diligence and accountability as a committee of Parliament heard on Monday that a whopping $80 million worth in drugs earmarked for the national health system was allowed to remain in storage over a ten-year period at the Ministry of Health until they all became expired and useless.

The issue was discussed during a sitting of the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC) whose members emphasised the need for stronger oversight to protect public health resources and give taxpayers value for their money.

Chief Chemist and Acting Director of the Chemistry Food and Drugs Division of the Ministry of Health, Hasmath Ali, stressed the importance of careful management, noting that ensuring public safety requires strict due diligence.