Director Of Pharmacy At Korle-Bu Interdicted For Misappropriation Of Funds

Following revelations of misappropriation of GH¢ 946,000.00 at the Pharmacy Department of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, the Pharmacy's Director, Mrs Elizabeth Bruce and nine other employees of the hospital have been interdicted. 

A statement from the Management of the hospital said the other employees indicted include a pharmacy manager, principal pharmacist, three senior pharmacists, two pharmacy accountants, the chief cashier and a stores assistant. 

The forensic audit into the operations of the pharmacy department of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital was commissioned by the then Health Minister Ms.
Sherry Ayittey. 

It revealed that bad procurement processes and collusion by suppliers were used in misappropriating the amount. 

The forensic audit covers the years 2010 to 2014. 

The year by year misappropriation are

2010   GH₵245 193,
2011   GH₵275 287.85  
2012   GH₵146 269.54 
2013   GH₵208 504.43,  
2014   GH₵71,319.14  

The interdicted officials are expected to appear before an administrative inquiry to determine their guilt or otherwise. 

The Board added, that it will not hesitate to call on the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) to arrest officials when criminal intent is established. 

The  statement said the BNI will also assist the Board to recover lost revenue. 

The Board described the level of mismanagement at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital as an "endemic situation".  

Meanwhile, Ernest Chemists Ghana Ltd, a pharmaceutical company and supplier of drugs to the hospital has been ordered to return 21,000 Ghana cedis which the report found to have been paid illegally to the company.  

The report made 44 recommendations and asked for a strict adherence to the Public Procurement Law. 

The Director of Pharmacy at the hospital in a response after checking the department's books, acknowledged the findings of the audit as factual.  

The Pharmacy Manager and staff at the department have expressed surprise about the shortage in cash lodgments because cash was paid to the bank every day.  

The Pharmacy’s checks also show that a number of computer printouts from their daily sales summary had been forged and the amount on it reduced drastically. 

They indicated that their department had done all it should and cannot be held liable for the misappropriation.

They insisted that the accounts department respond to the discrepancies.  

The originals of the daily cash detail sheets signed as proof of receipt of cash are also missing. 

GBC