In an effort to maintain high standards of patient care and environmental safety, the Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe recently disposed of 1,087 kilograms of expired and substandard drugs. The incineration process, which took place at the hospital’s incinerator, involved destroying 1,050 kilograms of routine drugs and 37.8 kilograms of controlled substances.
The Head of Pharmacy at the hospital, Adamu Salah, explained that this routine exercise aimed to protect patients and ensure compliance with environmental regulations. The increased volume of drugs disposed of during this session was attributed to the surplus supply of certain medications due to the impact of COVID-19.
Habu Mu’azu, the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer for the hospital’s public health committee overseeing expired drug disposal, emphasized the importance of proper waste disposal for environmental health. Various stakeholders, including the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency North-East Zonal Office, commended the hospital for its dedication to environmental compliance.
Pharmacist Khadija Adamu from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control praised the hospital for setting an example in disposing of expired drugs responsibly. She urged other healthcare facilities to follow suit to prevent risks to patients from expired medications.
The disposal of expired drugs at the Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe underscores its commitment to patient safety and environmental sustainability through rigorous drug disposal practices.