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FM
Former Member

 

 
 

… danger of dumping pre qualification criteria exposed

Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence has revealed that in 2016 and 2017, several firms were awarded contracts to supply pharmaceuticals to the health sector but failed to deliver. This resulted in shortages that led to her authorising an “emergency’ contract for $650 million to ANSA McAL.

The International Pharmaceutical Agency (IPA) was one of those companies that failed to supply all of the drugs it was awarded because it was not qualified to import some specialised pharmaceuticals.

In January 2016, IPA, which is owned by Alliance For Change (AFC) funder Lloyd Singh, was awarded two contracts to supply the Georgetown Public Hospital with pharmaceuticals and medical supplies. On one of the contracts for $36.5 million, the company only delivered 80 per cent of the pharmaceutical because it was not qualified to supply the remainder.

The remaining 20 per cent of drugs consisted of narcotics, including morphine which required special certification for importation.

IPA insiders confirmed that the company is not registered to import those categories of drugs and was therefore denied a licence by the Government Analyst-Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD). Head of the Food and Drugs Department, Marlon Cole, explained to Guyana Times that in order for a firm to import narcotic-typed pharmaceuticals, it must be registered in order to be granted a licence. Cole said in the case of IPA, the company was not registered.

Lloyd Singh

Though IPA is not registered, the company attempted to import the narcotic-type drug on behalf of a registered firm, Pharmagen. Reliable sources within IPA’s management explained that the company was hoping to secure the licence to import the drugs by acting on behalf of the registered firm.

After being denied the licence, IPA had to inform the authorities of its inability to supply the remainder of the drugs and settle the difference which amounted to some $5.5 million. This was an object lesson as to why the pre-qualification of suppliers based on objective criteria established by the World Health Organisation-World Bank had been established by the previous Administration. This was jettisoned by the A Partnership for National Unity/AFC coalition Government.

Minister Lawrence has complained of practices where contracts are being awarded to suppliers unable to supply the drugs, thus resulting in drug shortages crises across the country.

During the Budget Debates in February 2016, Dr Karen Cummings, the Government’s point-person on health, alluded to the cancellation of the prequalification-based contract with the NEW GPC in October 2015, and said, “Mr Speaker: open, competitive bidding is on the horizon… This APNU/AFC Government will ensure that it does not water the hard earned taxpayers’ dollars on enriching the pockets of the undeserving.”

Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence

The Public Health Ministry claimed to have received support from USAID to develop a new standard for “an open, competitive bidding system”. A bidding document to this effect has been approved by the National Tender Administration Board, following which a pre-bid meeting with all potential bidders was held on December 16, 2015. However, the $700 million which was allocated the following January appeared to have been given to selected suppliers, who did not deliver, and whom the Minister refuses to identify.

Both Lawrence and her predecessor, Dr George Norton, had admitted that the shortage of drugs across the country was as a result of the changes implemented by Government to the drug procurement system.

“Some of these pharmaceuticals were overdue by as much as six months, which exacerbated the drug shortage at the hospital. These are the same suppliers who, before May 2015, were given the opportunity under the Granger Administration to become suppliers of pharmaceuticals to the public healthcare sector,” she said. But the prequalification system which was scrapped by this Government had guaranteed that reputable contractors were supplying the nation’s health sector with the requisite quantity and quality of drugs. When the prequalification system was in place, the health sector was not prone to constant shortages of drugs, which puts the lives of patients at risks.

Prequalification

However, one stakeholder who spoke with this publication emphasised, “Guyana should not try to re-invent the wheel. The Government promised to replace the World Bank/WHO-designed prequalification system that Guyana had because they wanted to create a “more level and decentralised playing field.” However, he has emphasised that in so doing, the Government allowed in “fly-by-night” companies and individuals who just could not handle the internationally prescribed standards and consequent supply chain demands.

Another doctor with years of experience in the public and private health sectors said, “Whatever their concerns about the old prequalification criteria favouring one company, they have to admit it worked over the decade it was in place. And it’s a myth that only one company benefited; the others who received a substantial amount of the business had the decade to bring their scores up to par. We can see the consequences of that now that they can’t deliver contracts they were handed.” Pressed to elaborate on NEW GPC’s record between 2005 and 2015 on the country’s pharma supplies, he rattled them off his fingers: “The proof of the pudding is (that) there were no shortages in the decade. None! They also offered 70,000 square feet of temperature-controlled, PAHO compliant cold chain storage pharma warehousing completely free of cost. And with their location at Ruimveldt, it meant almost instantaneous deliveries.

“They also added a manufacturing capacity to our national push for independence by manufacturing a substantial quantity of pharma supplies, which were FDA approved and resulted in substantial exports to bring in foreign currency. They also employed a substantial number of Guyanese, who all paid their taxes. “Finally, they made all Guyana proud when they became the first company to manufacture anti-retrovirals in our early fight against HIV/AIDS.”

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Ohhh me lawd nuff story goin on. I thought IPA is a beer company (India Pale Ale) now I find out it's a company that cannot and does not deliver and its an AFC dude to boot....time to kick his ass out and all who were part of the deal that knew the company could not perform. That is incompetence. 

If the govt has a rebuttal to this they must do so immediately and not two months from now.

 

cain
Last edited by cain

In the wake of a sole sourced, supposedly “emergency” contract for $605 million of pharmaceuticals authorised by Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence, on information provided by the CEO of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, stakeholders are demanding an explanation for the fiasco that has placed taxpayers’ dollars at stake.
Preceding the “emergency drug procurement” by the Georgetown Hospital this year, several tenders were cancelled for several reasons. The company that was handed the sole sourced $605 million contract, ANSA McAL, was one of those that were rendered disqualified during one of the cancelled tenders by the Georgetown Public Hospital in 2016. This was disclosed by a source close to the ongoing investigation into a number of the drug procurement scandals under the Public Health Ministry.
Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence in her explanation to the nation for her extraordinary intervention said the tenders were cancelled because some suppliers declared their inability to supply the drugs and because of some evidently collusion by some the officials of the Georgetown Hospital leaking information on bids to selected suppliers. On the specific “emergency contract”, Minister Lawrence explained she was not fully apprised of all the pertinent facts by the CEO of the Hospital.
In an attempt to follow the trail of the antecedent events that led to the extraordinary allocation to ANSA McAL, the chronological sequence was compiled.
Guyana Times was told that the Georgetown Hospital advertised for Procurement of Medical Supplies on October 2, 2016, with a tender deadline of November 1, 2016. Bids duly submitted on November 1, 2016 but this tender was cancelled.
According to the source, the Georgetown Hospital then advertised for procurement of pharmaceuticals on November 5, 2016. The tender deadline was originally scheduled on November 22, 2016, but this was postponed to December 13, 2016. Bids were eventually submitted on December 13. The entire tender was cancelled.
Notably, ANSA McAL, the source pointed out, would have been disqualified because at the opening, it was announced that they had bid security issues.
This publication was told by a well-placed source that it was subsequent to this that the Georgetown Hospital arranged for a selective tender for ‘emergency pharmaceuticals’ on February 2, 2017. The tender was cancelled verbally on February 12 and in writing on February 14.
Additionally, the Georgetown Hospital arranged for selective tender for procurement of medical supplies on February 3, 2017. According to the source, the tender deadline was postponed to February 14, 2017. Bids were submitted on February 14 but no awards or pronouncements were issued as yet.
This is therefore presumably still under evaluation, more than a month later.
In light of the cancelled tenders and the worsened drug crisis at the Georgetown Public Hospital, the Minister intervened and ordered that shortlisted – not pre-qualified – contractors be contacted and asked to supply the pharmaceuticals in the shortest time possible.
She explained that had the normal procurement process route been taken, drugs would have arrived until several months after.
On February 12, a request was made for items in stock in the country relative to the list of pharmaceutical and medical supplies (392 items) contained in the cancelled emergency tenders above.
According to a source, one of the shortlisted contractors, NEW GPC submitted three quotes (not bids) for a total of 194 items and was subsequently asked to supply a few items to the valued $20.8 million.
When contacted on the issue Tuesday this publication was told that the company has since completely fulfilled that order.
NEW GPC also pointed out to this publication that it has already made public its position on the matter and wishes not to make any futher comments.
It is unclear what process was used to award ANSA McAL a $605 million contract to supply drugs.
When asked, the Minister claimed ignorance. Lawrence claimed unawareness of the procurement process embarked upon after her intervention; she was also unable to pinpoint if and how the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board was involved and what method was used to determine that ANSA McAL was best suited for the $605 million contract.
Minister Lawrence had disclosed in a statement to the media that ANSA McAL donated four refrigerators to the Georgetown Hospital.
In a live press conference on Monday, the Minister saved herself from the scandal, claiming that she was surprised to see that ANSA McAL was awarded a $605 million contract.
The Minister said she had written the Chairman of the Georgetown Hospital Board, ordering an investigation into the entire situation.
Management of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation has been accused of deliberating creating an emergency situation in order to sole source drugs from its preferred supplier. Within the last four months, it has cancelled or delayed four of its five public tenders, thereby creating a situation wherein there was a massive shortage of pharmaceuticals.
In a letter dated February 28, 2017, the Hospital’s CEO, Allan Johnson, thanked the Public Health Minister for authorising the procurement of medical supplies from ANSA McAL to the tune of $605,962,200, even though local firms could have supplied the same quantity and quality of drugs at cheaper prices.
Questions are now being raised regarding what process was used to determine that ANSA McAL should receive the contract and why were local firms sidelined

FM

Minister Lawrence had disclosed in a statement to the media that ANSA McAL donated four refrigerators to the Georgetown Hospital.
In a live press conference on Monday, the Minister saved herself from the scandal, claiming that she was surprised to see that ANSA McAL was awarded a $605 million contract.

In a letter dated February 28, 2017, the Hospital’s CEO, Allan Johnson, thanked the Public Health Minister for authorising the procurement of medical supplies from ANSA McAL to the tune of $605,962,200, even though local firms could have supplied the same quantity and quality of drugs at cheaper prices.

FM
Last edited by Former Member
Imran posted:

Minister Lawrence had disclosed in a statement to the media that ANSA McAL donated four refrigerators to the Georgetown Hospital.
In a live press conference on Monday, the Minister saved herself from the scandal, claiming that she was surprised to see that ANSA McAL was awarded a $605 million contract.

In a letter dated February 28, 2017, the Hospital’s CEO, Allan Johnson, thanked the Public Health Minister for authorising the procurement of medical supplies from ANSA McAL to the tune of $605,962,200, even though local firms could have supplied the same quantity and quality of drugs at cheaper prices.

Lawyer Djanjo can you defend me .

FM
Last edited by Former Member
cain posted:

Come to think of it Guyana Times has been known to lie. They better be lying again or Iman would get vex up.

Live and direct from the Minister , but she get caught .... she launching several investigation , so as to distract the 605 M contract.

FM
Imran posted:
Imran posted:

Minister Lawrence had disclosed in a statement to the media that ANSA McAL donated four refrigerators to the Georgetown Hospital.
In a live press conference on Monday, the Minister saved herself from the scandal, claiming that she was surprised to see that ANSA McAL was awarded a $605 million contract.

In a letter dated February 28, 2017, the Hospital’s CEO, Allan Johnson, thanked the Public Health Minister for authorising the procurement of medical supplies from ANSA McAL to the tune of $605,962,200, even though local firms could have supplied the same quantity and quality of drugs at cheaper prices.

Lawyer Djanjo can you defend me .

Django any excuse for the above!!!

FM
cain posted:

I wanna check out the rest of that Bev Harper I got a feelin she might be lil hot. Unless she got too big a bamsy.

Looks like she mix wid lil patagee nah? Maybe alyu all phambily.

FM
skeldon_man posted:

Looks like she mix wid lil patagee nah? Maybe alyu all phambily.

Could be the same cocaine fellow after his transsexual transformation.  We have a resident Cathlyn Jenner on board. 

FM
cain posted:

I wanna check out the rest of that Bev Harper I got a feelin she might be lil hot. Unless she got too big a bamsy.

Dude, stick to cougar hunting. Da is a pudgy ol lady.

FM
D2 posted:
cain posted:

I wanna check out the rest of that Bev Harper I got a feelin she might be lil hot. Unless she got too big a bamsy.

Dude, stick to cougar hunting. Da is a pudgy ol lady.

She is Viola Burnham's niece.

Mars

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