The Ministry of Health has confirmed that approximately $7.7 billion worth of medicines flagged by the Auditor General were delivered and received, insisting that discrepancies identified during the audit resulted from administrative delays rather than missing supplies.
In a statement, the Ministry explained that the discrepancies arose during the transition to CORTEX, a new supply chain management system, which created a temporary backlog in recording medicines already received and accepted.
The Ministry said the technical challenges have since been resolved, with most outstanding records uploaded and the remaining entries being processed. The Auditor General has also been updated on the corrective measures.
Addressing concerns about storage capacity at the Materials Management Unit, the Ministry said the medicines were accommodated at existing facilities, including off-site storage, and are being distributed to hospitals and health centres nationwide.
It also disclosed that Regional Distribution Centres have been established in Regions Two and Ten, while facilities in Regions One, Six and Nine are nearing completion.
The Ministry maintained that it takes the Auditor General’s findings seriously and remains committed to strengthening inventory management, accountability and the timely distribution of essential medicines across Guyana.