Controlled drugs stolen from Manadhoo hospital

A case of theft of controlled drugs at the Atoll Hospital in the island of Manadhoo in Noonu Atoll has come to light.

Atoll Times has learnt that 30 units of a controlled drug called Fentanyl have been stolen from the hospital.

It is learnt that only nurses have access to the controlled drug cabinet.

When asked if such a case had come to light, a senior official of the hospital confirmed that such an incident took place between February 20-25. 

"We are investigating the theft of controlled drugs from the hospital's custody. Since it is an under-investigation case, we cannot give much details," the official said.

The official said some precautionary measures like changing the location of controlled drugs have been taken in the wake of the incident. No action has been taken against any employee so far, the official added.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50-100 times stronger than morphine. Pharmaceutical fentanyl was developed for pain management treatment of cancer patients, applied in a patch on the skin.

Because of its powerful opioid properties, Fentanyl is also diverted for abuse.