PNG reviewing procurement and supply of pharmaceutical drugs
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PNG reviewing procurement and supply of pharmaceutical drugs
PORT MORESBY: In December 2013, Australia withdrew its funding for A$38 million (K87 million) project to Papua New Guinea’s health centres due to concerns on the way contracts for the supply and distribution of medicines and pharmaceutical drugs were awarded.
On Saturday (Aug 16, 2019), Prime Minister James Marape said the Government was reviewing and looking into alternative ways to improve its procurement and supply of medicines (pharmaceutical drugs) for Papua New Guineans.
Marape said the Government would be talking to donor partners, including Australia, on how best to procure and supply medicines in the country.
This follows the National Doctor’s Association questioning the Government’s rationale of awarding contracts to the private sector for the supply of medical kits and medicine.
What’s up with the procurement and supply of medicines in the last decade?
PNG Cyber Monitor’s attention on the issue was drawn to the following news reports by The National:
Better drug deal sought
By Rebecca KukuPRIME Minister James Marape says the Government is reviewing and looking into alternative ways to improve its procurement and supply of medicines (pharmaceutical drugs) for the people.
“And we will be talking to donor partners, including Australia, on how best to procure and supply medicines in the country,” he told The National on Friday.
Marape was responding to The National’s front-paged report on Friday titled “Doctors: Stop drug contracts”.
The report quoted the National Doctor’s Association (NDA) questioning the Government’s rationale of awarding contracts to the private sector for the supply of medical kits and medicine.
“Why can’t the Government set up its own department to procure medical kits and medicine directly, either, from the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended agents, like the International Dispensary Association (IDA) or equivalent, or directly from manufacturers in Asia, Australia, the US or Europe?
“Generic medicines procured this way will be cheaper and effective,” NDA secretary and chief of emergency medicine Dr Sam Yockopua lamented.
Marape said the two contracts, worth more than K100 million, awarded to Borneo Pacific Pharmaceutical Ltd (BPPL) to supply medical kits and antibiotics, as announced by Health secretary Pascoe Kase on Wednesday, was only for one year to ensure the country did not face shortages of medicine.
“It is only for a year and the contracts have already been signed,” he said.
In December, 2013 Australia withdrew its funding for a A$38 million (K87 million) project to Papua New Guinea’s health centres due to concerns on the way contracts for the supply and distribution of medicines and pharmaceutical drugs were awarded.
Meanwhile, Yockopua said the NDA would be presenting their demands to the Government tomorrow for the immediate change of the health secretary and the suspension of the two contracts awarded to Borneo Pacific Pharmaceutical Ltd.
Yockopua said that doctors would walk off their jobs if their demands were not met in seven days.
“We have 10 valid points on why we want the secretary to be changed, shortages of medicine and a review and revamp on the procurement and supply of medicines and pharmaceutical drugs,” he added.
“And we will be talking to donor partners, including Australia, on how best to procure and supply medicines in the country,” he told The National on Friday.
Marape was responding to The National’s front-paged report on Friday titled “Doctors: Stop drug contracts”.
The report quoted the National Doctor’s Association (NDA) questioning the Government’s rationale of awarding contracts to the private sector for the supply of medical kits and medicine.
“Why can’t the Government set up its own department to procure medical kits and medicine directly, either, from the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended agents, like the International Dispensary Association (IDA) or equivalent, or directly from manufacturers in Asia, Australia, the US or Europe?
“Generic medicines procured this way will be cheaper and effective,” NDA secretary and chief of emergency medicine Dr Sam Yockopua lamented.
Marape said the two contracts, worth more than K100 million, awarded to Borneo Pacific Pharmaceutical Ltd (BPPL) to supply medical kits and antibiotics, as announced by Health secretary Pascoe Kase on Wednesday, was only for one year to ensure the country did not face shortages of medicine.
“It is only for a year and the contracts have already been signed,” he said.
In December, 2013 Australia withdrew its funding for a A$38 million (K87 million) project to Papua New Guinea’s health centres due to concerns on the way contracts for the supply and distribution of medicines and pharmaceutical drugs were awarded.
Meanwhile, Yockopua said the NDA would be presenting their demands to the Government tomorrow for the immediate change of the health secretary and the suspension of the two contracts awarded to Borneo Pacific Pharmaceutical Ltd.
Yockopua said that doctors would walk off their jobs if their demands were not met in seven days.
“We have 10 valid points on why we want the secretary to be changed, shortages of medicine and a review and revamp on the procurement and supply of medicines and pharmaceutical drugs,” he added.
Doctors: Stop drug contracts
By REBECCA KUKUTHE National Doctor’s Association (NDA) has questioned the Government’s rationale of awarding contracts to the private sector for the supply of medical kits and medicine.
“Why can’t the Government set up its own department to procure medical kits and medicine directly, either, from the World Health Organisation (WHO)-certified suppliers, like the International Dispensary Association (IDA) or equivalent, or directly from manufacturers in Asia, Australia, the US or Europe?
“Generic medicines procured this way will be cheaper and effective,” NDA secretary and chief of emergency medicine Dr Sam Yockopua lamented to The National yesterday.
“The Government could have just established its own procurement department or unit comprising officials and experts from the National Department of Health (NDOH), Planning, Finance, Medical School, Port Moresby General Hospital, Medical Board, Pharmacy Board.
“They can then create an Information Communications Technology (ICT)-backed system that is fully funded and utilised in the Area Medical Store (AMS) supply system,” he added.
Yockopua was commenting on The National’s front page report that Borneo Pacific Pharmaceutical Ltd (BPPL) has secured two one-year contracts worth more than K100 million to supply medical kits and antibiotics.
Health secretary Pascoe Kase announced yesterday that the National Executive Council (NEC) approved the recommendation by the NDOH to award the contracts to BPPL.
The contract for medical kits is worth K65.3 million and the other for antibiotics is K43.5 million.
Yockopua said: “The medicine testing laboratory that was purportedly set up by NDOH check medicines supplied is no longer functioning.
“So we don’t know what the private sector suppliers are bringing in to us. We have seen medicines that are close to expiry dates.
“We have also seen medicines that did not work, so some may even be fake medicines and that is why NDA has been urging the Government to review or stop the current procurement system of tendering out supply of medicines to the private sector,” he said, adding that people must now be prepared to suffer further.
“Why can’t the Government set up its own department to procure medical kits and medicine directly, either, from the World Health Organisation (WHO)-certified suppliers, like the International Dispensary Association (IDA) or equivalent, or directly from manufacturers in Asia, Australia, the US or Europe?
“Generic medicines procured this way will be cheaper and effective,” NDA secretary and chief of emergency medicine Dr Sam Yockopua lamented to The National yesterday.
“The Government could have just established its own procurement department or unit comprising officials and experts from the National Department of Health (NDOH), Planning, Finance, Medical School, Port Moresby General Hospital, Medical Board, Pharmacy Board.
“They can then create an Information Communications Technology (ICT)-backed system that is fully funded and utilised in the Area Medical Store (AMS) supply system,” he added.
Yockopua was commenting on The National’s front page report that Borneo Pacific Pharmaceutical Ltd (BPPL) has secured two one-year contracts worth more than K100 million to supply medical kits and antibiotics.
Health secretary Pascoe Kase announced yesterday that the National Executive Council (NEC) approved the recommendation by the NDOH to award the contracts to BPPL.
The contract for medical kits is worth K65.3 million and the other for antibiotics is K43.5 million.
Yockopua said: “The medicine testing laboratory that was purportedly set up by NDOH check medicines supplied is no longer functioning.
“So we don’t know what the private sector suppliers are bringing in to us. We have seen medicines that are close to expiry dates.
“We have also seen medicines that did not work, so some may even be fake medicines and that is why NDA has been urging the Government to review or stop the current procurement system of tendering out supply of medicines to the private sector,” he said, adding that people must now be prepared to suffer further.
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