The State Audit Commission (DZR) which inspects the work of the public institutions, conducted an audit of the Skopje Oncology Clinic in 2021. The audit showed problems with the way in which chemotherapy was procured and distributed to patients. The Clinic is now in the midst of a major scandal, with allegations that cancer patients were given water instead of the therapy, while the extremely expensive drugs were sold on the black market in Kosovo.

DZR found that there are no protocols in place that would determine which patients will be put on the biological chemotherapy treatment. The Clinic did not have clear criteria about who needs to receive this vital treatment.

The drugs were also procured without setting a clear price and without a public bidding procedure. “DZR determined that there are weaknesses in the planning, implementation and control of the procurement of biological therapy and absence of medical protocols and guidelines that will determine rules and criteria for including patients in the biological therapy treatment. DZR also concluded that the Clinic did not conduct a full review of the funds and the obligations it has, the Audit Commission says in its 2021 report.