More than half of the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation outlets incurred combined losses of Rs. 53 million in 2021, said a report by the auditor general.
The SPC owns 50 Osu Sala outlets, out of which 26 failed to earn profits during the year. Losses by 10 of them ranged between 15 to 175 per cent, said the report.
The SPC chairman has blamed the losses on the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, the report found damaged and expired medicines were the main reasons, in addition to the failure to identify the annual requirement and mismanagement.
The report also said maintenance costs of Osu Sala staff increased between 10 and 32 pc.
(Ada Derana)
