More precautions needed before sending syringes to the field

Medical syringe is an important device that is used very sensitively in medical care. A slight mistake or a broken syringe can lead to any accident. And if it is a contraceptive syringe, it demands more care. But on Thursday (September 26) from the news published in the media, it is known that the outdated syringes were sent to the field from the central warehouse of the Family Planning Department. Even efforts to suppress the incident have been noticed, news that is not good for the health sector of the country.

The central warehouse of the Directorate of Family Planning is located at Mohakhali in the capital. This warehouse stocks various types of kits including pills, condoms, implants, injections, syringes. Basically from this warehouse family planning materials are delivered to all district and upazila level stores of Dhaka division.

A source from the department has reported that on August 21, family planning materials were delivered from the central warehouse to various upazilas in Manikganj district. The storekeepers in these upazilas became aware of the situation when it was later discovered that some materials had been damaged. Confirmed reports indicate waste materials at the health complexes in Harirampur and Singair upazilas.

Officials in Harirampur and Singair opened the cartons as needed and found that the packets of auto-disposable syringes were damaged, with the plastic covering each syringe torn and appearing quite old. It remains unclear how these materials became damaged.

This incident raises concerns about whether other supplies from the central warehouse are facing similar issues. There are growing calls for an investigation to determine if the damage was due to negligence, irregularities, or mismanagement.

These syringes are intended for injectable birth control and are primarily used by field staff of the Family Planning Department. If such damaged syringes were used on individuals, it could expose them to serious health risks. Who can guarantee that similar incidents won't occur in the future, even if this particular incident was avoided? Any medical treatment must be conducted with utmost care, and thorough checks should be made for errors before sending materials to the field.

It also raises the question of why such sensitive equipment was stored for so long without being monitored. Why were they sent out without verifying their expiry dates? These issues must be addressed in the investigation.

Additionally, it's crucial to confirm whether the syringes were purchased correctly in the first place. We need to determine how many syringes were wasted and why these damaged syringes were distributed to the field. It is also essential to assess whether other supplies are similarly compromised. A comprehensive investigation is necessary to uncover the root causes and take action against those responsible. We demand that appropriate measures be taken following a thorough investigation, and there must be increased vigilance in handling such sensitive materials.