So why was there only one tender?

Action on drug supplies

FINANCE Secretary Thaddeus Kambanei has taken the reins in trying to sort out the shortage of drugs for public hospitals and health centres around the country.
This follows complaints in and outside Parliament about the lack of medicine in hospitals and health centres in recent months and a prediction by Health Minister Melchior Pep that it would take a month or more to ease the problem.
Health Secretary Dr Nicholas Mann was directed last week to cut short his attendance at the national health conference in Kimbe and return to Port Moresby to take charge of the health supplies crisis.
Yesterday, Chief Secretary Joshua Kalinoe said Dr Mann had since been advised not to attend to any domestic or international engagements but to stay in Port Moresby to manage his departments activities.
Mr Kalinoe said he had received an interim report from Mr Kambanei on an investigation into the administrative process of getting medical drugs, as directed last week.
He had since tabled the report in a special meeting of the Central Agencies Co-ordinating Committee on Friday.
The investigation found some serious defects in the procurement process.
On numerous occasions, this process was not followed, Mr Kalinoe said.
�For example, in 2004, instead of calling for three tenders, only one was called and the lead time for delivery of these essential supplies was six to eight months.
�As a result, some are being delivered, while others are on their way.
�It is unlikely that these will satisfy all requirements of our hospitals.
As a short-term measure, Mr Kalinoe has directed Mr Kambanei to intervene and work with Dr Mann to help with the immediate procurement of all required drugs and medical supplies.
For the longer term, Mr Kambanei has been directed to review the Health Department procurement process to ensure it became manageable.
�It must also be flexible enough to respond to every situation, including entering into periodic contracts with medical drugs suppliers and manufacturers,Mr Kalinoe said.

PNG Post Courier 15th June 2005