Politics · Philippines Bureau
COA flags P242M in idle medical equipment at unfinished hospitals
The Commission on Audit has identified nearly a quarter-billion pesos worth of unused medical equipment gathering dust in government health facilities that remain incomplete. The recurring problem highlights persistent implementation challenges in a key health infrastructure program.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — The Commission on Audit (COA) has raised concerns over P242.358 million in idle medical equipment across government hospitals and health centers, citing lack of operational readiness as the primary cause.
The accounting watchdog documented the equipment sitting unused in 2025, marking another chapter in the troubled rollout of the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP), a flagship government initiative aimed at upgrading the country's health infrastructure.
According to COA findings, numerous recipient health facilities lack the necessary infrastructure, staffing, or administrative preparations to put the equipment into service. The equipment purchases have proceeded while physical structures and operational requirements at the hospitals and health centers remain incomplete or inadequate.
The audit body's repeated flagging of similar issues within the HFEP suggests systemic coordination problems between procurement efforts and facility readiness. Officials have not yet provided statements addressing the latest audit findings or outlining remedial measures.
The idle equipment represents a significant waste of government resources at a time when healthcare access remains a pressing concern across the Philippines, particularly in provincial and rural areas.