Public Health Institutes of FBiH and Canton Sarajeevo illegally procured and distributed vaccines!

Problems that arose after students in Sarajevo experienced side effects following tetanus vaccination revealed a series of shocking facts, uncovered by the inspectorate of the Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices of Bosnia and Herzegovina, reports the Patria news agency.

Namely, an inspection led by Indira Šarkić, chief inspector at the Agency, revealed that the Public Health Institute of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Public Health Institute of the Sarajevo Canton, and the Hygiene and Epidemiology Service of the Health Center Sarajevo Canton are carrying out the process of procurement and distribution of medicines completely illegally!

In this regard, as confirmed to Patria, the Inspectorate, with the aim of protecting public health, issued three decisions prohibiting the Public Health Institute of FBiH, the Public Health Institute of the Sarajevo Canton, and the Hygiene and Epidemiology Service of the Health Center Sarajevo Canton from procuring, storing, transporting, and issuing medicines, i.e., engaging in wholesale distribution of medicines, as they are doing so without the approval of the Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The legal path of a medicine is simple: from the manufacturer to the wholesaler, and from the wholesaler to pharmacies or hospital pharmacies, in accordance with Article 90 of the Law, which states: „Outpatient clinics, hospitals, and departments are supplied with medicines from pharmacies, i.e., hospital pharmacies“ – says Šarkić in her response to Patria.

Contrary to this, the inspection found during the pharmaceutical-inspection supervision at the Public Health Institute of FBiH that the procurement procedure for the mentioned risky biological medicine is initiated by a purchase order from the Health Insurance and Reinsurance Institute of FBiH.

The medicines in question are, in accordance with the contract, delivered to the warehouse address located in the premises of the pharmaceutical wholesaler „Phoenix“ d.o.o. Sarajevo.

The receipt of biological medicines, i.e., vaccines delivered by „Melcoma“, instead of the person responsible for receiving and distributing medicines as defined by law, is carried out by the Vaccine Handover Commission appointed by the Institute. The Commission, together with employees of „Phoenix“, fills out the Vaccine Receipt Record.

The wholesaler „Phoenix“ Sarajevo, according to the contract, stores and distributes vaccines on behalf of the Institute to the Public Health Institute of the Sarajevo Canton. The Public Health Institute of the Sarajevo Canton receives an order for vaccine procurement from the Hygiene and Epidemiology Service. The Cantonal Institute forwards the request for the procurement of a specific vaccine to the Public Health Institute of FBiH, which then creates a purchase order and submits it to the pharmaceutical wholesaler „Phoenix“ d.o.o. Sarajevo.

- „Phoenix“ distributes the vaccines, which are stored in the premises of the Hygiene and Epidemiology Service or in the premises of the Public Health Institute of the Sarajevo Canton, depending on the type of vaccine. The Institute, via a release order, transfers the vaccines to the Hygiene and Epidemiology Service. The distribution of vaccines from the Hygiene and Epidemiology Service to health centers where immunization is carried out is done based on a vaccine release order issued by the Hygiene and Epidemiology Service – explains Šarkić.

She clarified that, considering the above, it can be concluded that this is an extremely complicated process of procurement and distribution of medicines, which is contrary to the provisions of the Law.

It is of key importance that the quality and integrity of the medicine are preserved throughout the entire distribution chain from the manufacturer to the patient – emphasized Šarkić.

The chief inspector also stated that to date, no extraordinary control or sampling of the vaccine has been initiated, as no facts could be established to justify suspicion regarding the quality of the vaccine.