Borneo continues to get millions of Kina in contracts from Health Dept
News that matter in Papua New Guinea
Borneo continues to get millions of Kina in contracts from Health Dept
According to a National Executive Council application
for certificate of expediency, the contract was awarded to Borneo Pacific for a
fixed price of K65,271,338.94 (tax inclusive).
East Sepik Governor Allan Bird and Northern Governor
Gary Juffa questioned the Government on the lack of transparent procurement of
medicines for hospitals in the country.
The issue was reported by The National:
Drug deal
queried
December 21, 2021The
NationalMain Stories
By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
TWO provincial governors have urged the Government to cancel a K65
million one-year contract awarded to a pharmaceutical company to supply 100 per
cent health centres and aid post kits around the country.
According to a National Executive Council application for certificate of
inexpediency, the one-year contract was awarded to Borneo Pacific
Pharmaceutical Limited for a fixed price of K65,271,338.94 (tax inclusive).
East Sepik Governor Allan Bird and Northern Governor Gary Juffa questioned the
Government on the lack of transparent procurement of medicines for hospitals
around the country.
Bird urged the Government to cancel the contract to Borneo Pacific.
“I know for a fact that in the last round of public tenders three years ago,
CPL (City Pharmacy Ltd) put in a bid that was around K20m cheaper than Borneo
And yet Borneo still got the contract,” Bird said.
“I am not happy with this.”
He said the East Sepik government and its provincial health authority would not
rely on the company but procure medicines for themselves.
A public accounts committee inquiry source said the PAC inquiry “report (tabled
in Parliament) does not hold anything against Borneo”.
Juffa urged the Government to fast track a transparent procurement submission
for the Health Department.
Juffa pointed out that the Public Accounts Committee had highlighted serious
flaws in the quality of drugs (provided by the company) which were yet to be
rectified since the 2020 parliamentary inquiry into the procurement of
medicines chaired by Sir John Pundari.
“I am gravely concerned that since the much advertised PAC inquiry and the
report tabled, nothing has been done to design a more transparent procurement
system and engage companies that could procure and supply quality drugs,” Juffa
said.
He said the logistics of delivering drugs, medicines, consumables and other
medical equipment were “atrocious”.
“This was also exposed as being substandard and indeed procurements then were
shown to be under dubious circumstances. This has also not improved.”
He also claimed that the public servants “who acted negligently, incompetently
and possibly corruptly, have not been taken to task”.
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