Bhubaneswar: The comptroller and auditor-general (CAG) has uncovered major lapses in procurement and inventory management of medicines during the Covid-19 pandemic in Odisha, revealing that over Rs 47 crore worth of critical drugs remained unutilised and expired, resulting in substantial loss to the exchequer.In its compliance audit covering April 2019 to Jan 2025, the CAG found that the health and family welfare department, acting on the recommendations of its technical committee, procured 4,550 cocktail vials of Casirivimab and Imdevimab (120 mg/ml) through Odisha State Medical Corporation Limited in three phases to combat Covid-19. However, only 711 vials were administered to patients.The audit report listed 84 per cent of the procured stock, valued at Rs 42.21 crore, left unused and eventually expired. The CAG termed the procurement excessive in relation to actual utilisation, leading to significant avoidable expenditure.The audit also highlighted wastage in procurement of Amphotericin-B Liposomal 50 mg, a drug used for treating Mucormycosis, commonly known as black fungus, which emerged as a serious complication among some Covid-19 patients. OSMCL bought 10,000 vials of the drug in July 2021 at Rs 5.51 crore. However, only 550 vials were utilised, while 9,450 vials worth Rs 5.21 crore remained unused as of July 31, 2024.The report attributed the losses to poor forecasting of demand and inadequate inventory management practices.The CAG further revealed a larger problem of drug wastage within state healthcare system. During the audit period, 15.43 crore units of around 700 categories of drugs worth Rs 167.91 crore expired. Moreover, sanitary napkins worth Rs 94.05 lakh also became unusable. Of expired medicines, drugs worth Rs 68.90 crore had been received as donations from different entities, while OSMCL had procured medicines valued at Rs 99.01 crore.The audit observed that improper inventory management and procurement of medicines with short shelf life contributed significantly to the accumulation and expiry of stocks. The findings are likely to raise concerns over planning and utilisation of healthcare resources during and after the pandemic.