Medicine Warehouse Unfit for Storage, Flood Damage Estimated at €880,000
In a recent briefing to the House health committee, officials disclosed that a warehouse storing medicines, which suffered flood damage during a hailstorm on March 18, was already known to be unsuitable since late 2019. The facility, located in Strovolos’ industrial zone, sustained damage to approximately 105,401 packages of 149 different pharmaceuticals, with an estimated cost of €880,000.
The incident has prompted scrutiny over the delayed decision to relocate the warehouse—a move initially planned for February 2020 but postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. With the decision reconfirmed in February 2024, officials now target an October relocation.
Further concerns were raised when it was revealed that two additional water leak incidents occurred at the same warehouse last year. Elena Panayiotopoulou, head of the health ministry’s pharmaceutical services, informed parliamentarians that her department had lost jurisdiction over medicine warehouses in 2017. Nevertheless, a 2019 inspection report highlighted several deficiencies, including a worn floor, absence of temperature monitoring, and unlocked storage for recalled drugs.
Christos Nicolaou, head of the purchasing and supplies directorate, noted that among the damaged items were costly cancer medications. Meanwhile, Marina Georgiou, who leads the ad hoc committee investigating the incident, stated that efforts are underway to replenish the damaged stock while assessing whether the medicines inside the packages have been compromised.
The financial arrangements surrounding the warehouse have also come under scrutiny. A private contractor leased the space from one government service for €6,600 annually and sublet it to another service for €135,000 a year. These details emerged from a 2018 Audit Office report that also flagged construction issues with the warehouse.
Disy MP Efthymios Diplaros and Akel MP Nikos Kettiros expressed their concerns and demanded accountability if negligence is proven. The medicines involved are crucial for individuals undergoing specialized therapies and require health ministry approval. Health Minister Michael Damianos has urged for a measured assessment of the situation pending the committee’s full damage report.
