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Pregnant woman accuses Puskesmas of giving out expired vitamins
She added that she had taken 36 vitamins since her first visit to the health center on July 11 but only discovered they were expired on Tuesday.
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The expired vitamins allegedly prescribed to a pregnant woman in North Jakarta. (courtesy of Novi Sri Wahyuni via kompas.com/-)
A pregnant woman named Novi Sri Wahyuni, 21, claimed she had received and consumed expired vitamins from a community health center (Puskesmas) in Kamal Muara subdistrict, Penjaringan, North Jakarta.
In her home not far from the Puskesmas, Novi showed reporters pictures of the B6 vitamins on Friday. The expiration date, covered by blue marker, was difficult to read but she claimed they had expired in April.
She added that she had taken 36 vitamins since her first visit to the health center on July 11 but only discovered they were expired on Tuesday.
She claimed to have experienced vomiting, nausea and headaches since July.
“One strip had 12 pills, so I have consumed 36 pills,” Novi said on Friday, claiming to have lost 3 kilograms since consuming the vitamins as quoted by kompas.com.
Novi, concerned for the health of her unborn baby, was taken to a hospital, where a doctor confirmed to her that her baby was healthy.
The other symptoms, however, are allegedly due to poisoning.
Kamal Muara Puskesmas head Agus Arianto Haryoso denied Novi’s claim that she been consuming expired drugs from the Puskesmas since July, citing a lack of evidence, but conceded that such a scenario was possible.
Agus said pharmacists had a protocol in dispensing medication after reading a prescription and that expired drugs were usually separated from unexpired drugs.
“It is possible that the pharmacist made a mistake that day,” Agus said.
He added that Novi’s claim of consuming 36 pills could not be confirmed, conceding only that the vitamins she presented were expired.
Novi has since reported the incident to the Penjaringan Metro Police in North Jakarta, accusing the Kamal Muara Puskesmas of violating a law on consumer protection. (tru)
