Viborg Municipality has filed a report with the police following a significant loss of medication at two of its nursing homes. Approximately 1,000 morphine pills have mysteriously disappeared, according to TV Midtvest, a local news outlet. It is not only morphine that is missing; various other medications cannot be found at the nursing homes.

The head of care services in Viborg Municipality, Karen Margrethe Holdsbjerg-Larsen, explained to TV Midtvest that the police report was filed to protect both the residents’ medications and the staff members. This incident highlights a broader issue that extends beyond Viborg Municipality.

According to information from TV 2 Østjylland, 38 municipalities across the country have faced similar problems with missing medication supplies from one or more nursing homes. In 18 of these cases, the police have been involved.

Charlotte Hjort, the unit manager at the Danish Patient Safety Authority (Styrelsen for Patientsikkerhed), emphasized to TV 2 Østjylland that medication theft is unacceptable and noted that medication management is a key area of oversight for nursing homes throughout the country.

The missing medication includes not only morphine but also drugs such as oxycodone, tramadol, and contalgin. These types of medication pose a high risk of addiction and serious poisoning if taken without appropriate medical guidance.