COA flags DOH over P4b worth of delayed, idle projects

The Commission on Audit has called the attention of the Department of Health for P4 billion worth of delayed, unutilized or idle projects in 2018.

In a 2018 audit report, state auditors said P1.48 billion worth of projects under the DOH’s health facilities enhancement program were not completed within the contract time, and that another P1.43 billion remained idle, unused or not fully operational or underutilized.

Moreover, P1.3 billion worth of project suffered delayed implementation.

CoA blamed the failure of DoH to guarantee that the contractors would be able to comply with the terms and conditions stipulated in the contracts.

“Such delays caused noncompliance to the terms of implementation period stipulated in the contract and hindered the attainment of the objective of providing HFEP projects to the intended recipients in order to improve the delivery of basic, essential as well as specialized health services through the rationalization and critical upgrading of health facilities nationwide,” the report read.

COA said the other remaining P1.3 billion worth of HFEP projects the experienced delay only commenced in the last quarter of 2018, citing the revisions of the plan, deficient or inadequate planning and the contractors’ fault were responsible for the delay.

“The progress of the construction was very slow which resulted in slippages,” COA said.

“As a result, parallel revitalization of primary health care facilities and rationalization of the various levels of hospitals to strengthen their capabilities and potentials with the end view of improving the accessibility and availability of basic and essential health care to the public cannot be immediately achieved,” it said.

DoH has yet to comply with CoA’s recommendations.

“In the event of a failure of the contractor to comply and correct the deficiencies noted, the management should consider to demand payment for damages, including possible blacklisting thereof,” the commission said.

In addition, CoA flagged DoH for over P295 million worth of medicine that would expire between September and December this year, and were kept in warehouses.

In its audit findings, the health department stored in warehouse medicine and medical supplies worth P294.767 million with expiry dates set 12 months later or earlier.