Vergeire: DOH reformed supply chain after COA report on improper deliveries

The Department of Health (DOH) has implemented reforms in its supply chain and management services after the Commission on Audit flagged millions of pesos worth of COVID-19-related items which have not been properly distributed, officer in charge Ma. Rosario Vergeire said on Friday.

At a press briefing, Vergeire said the DOH received the COA audit report on July 29. She said the agency had been given 60 days to evaluate and address the findings.

“Ang gusto lang ho natin sabihin ngayon, meron na tayong ginawang reporma sa ating supply chain and management services,” Vergeire said.

(What we want to say right now is we have made some reforms in our supply chain and management services.)

“We already have asked the help of our partner agencies katulad po ng Office for Civil Defense para bumilis po ang ating pag di-distribute nitong mga binibili nating commodities at makarating sa mga kinauukulan ng mas mabilis,” she added.

(We have already asked the help of our partner agencies like the OCD to facilitate the distribution of the commodities so that these can be delivered faster.)

Vergeire said the deliveries have reached the intended recipients in coordination with the OCD.

She said the agency had authorized regional offices to inspect and check the commodities arriving at their warehouses to streamline the process.

In its 2021 audit report, COA said COVID-19-related items amounting to at least P185,602,876 were either not received by the intended recipients, not received at all, or were insufficient or excessive.

According to COA, P166.2 million worth of items were delivered to agencies other than the intended recipients, P18.5 million were not received by intended recipients, and P835,402 showed discrepancies between the quantities indicated and the actual quantities received.

Vergeire said the Health Department had complete documents of the deliveries, supplies, equipment, and commodities.

“And this has been done already at lahat ng dokumento ng deliveries, supplies, equipments, and commodities ay kumpleto po tayo at maari po nating maibigay sa ating COA para ma address po natin itong finding na ito,” Vergeire said.

(This has been done already and all documents on the deliveries, supplies, equipment, and commidities are complete and can be given to the COA so we can address these findings.) —NB, GMA News