AFC, PNCR call on Ramotar to launch investigation into $$$B drug purchases

Aug 26, 2012 News

“With a large percentage of the national health budget dedicated to the procurement of drugs and health supplies and with one company holding such an unfair monopoly, the PNCR is calling for an independent investigation so that the people of Guyana can get a full understanding and a full accounting of how and where their health dollars are spent.”

The country’s two main opposition parties are stepping up calls for a full investigation into the country’s drug purchasing system, yesterday demanding the intervention of President Donald Ramotar.
The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) said that failure to address this particular issue is continuing to rob the treasury of badly needed, scarce resources.

President Donald Ramotar

Meanwhile, the Alliance For Change (AFC) also said that it is awaiting the reconvening of the National Assembly in October, at which time top executives in the Health Ministry and other related agencies will be called before a special investigative committee to answer questions.
Billions of dollars are being spent every year by the government to buy drugs and other medical supplies. However, there have been concerns expressed that only one company was getting the bulk of the contracts.
There were questions asked earlier this year about the price being paid by government for the drugs. In some cases, the prices quoted were way above what it was retailing for from the manufacturers.
According to the PNCR, on June 21, the party had called for the immediate formulation of an independent Commission of Inquiry into the procurement practices of all companies that supply the government of Guyana with pharmaceuticals. PNCR said that it had made specific mention of the role of the New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (New GPC).
The party, which forms a significant part of the coalition body, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) – the main opposition in the National Assembly – at that time also called for the special commission to be given investigatory and subpoena powers and to be able to make recommendations to the Director of Public Prosecutions to pursue criminal charges, if necessary.
Sham investigations
“The result of the PNCR call was a sham investigation launched by the Ministry of Health and the New GPC calling on the Auditor General of Guyana to do a ‘value for money’ audit. The PNCR demands new investigations, convinced that earlier attempts were unsatisfactory. Today, the problems in the procurement systems still persist.”

AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan

The PNCR said that the Opposition Leader and new Leader of the party, Brigadier (rtd), David Granger, described corruption in Guyana as being on an industrial scale. He had urged for a purge of corruption at all levels of government.
The party noted that former Speaker of the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarran, recently admitted that corruption had become a monstrosity under the PPP/C government.
“If we are looking for corruption, look at the mother of all scandals…we must look at the executive branch. Today, because the investigation the PNCR called for back in June was not done, corrupt practices associated with this critical area of our health delivery system continue to put patients at risk and rob the national treasury of scarce financial resources,” Granger said.
PNCR made reference to highlighted incidents where drugs were sold to government at seemingly exorbitant prices. Following the publications of these earlier this year, Kaieteur News was sued by New GPC.
The party insisted that a probe in June by Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsarran, into drug procurement will not be enough to calm the anxiety of Guyanese, especially given the PPP’s track record of corruption.
“With a large percentage of the national health budget dedicated to the procurement of drugs and health supplies and with one company holding such an unfair monopoly, the PNCR is calling for an independent investigation so that the people of Guyana can get a full understanding and a full accounting of how and where their health dollars are spent.”
Meanwhile, Leader of the AFC, Khemraj Ramjattan, disclosed that his party, which together with APNU forms the combined opposition in the National Assembly, will be utilizing the Economic Services Sector Committee in Parliament to investigation the drug purchases.
“This is the committee in which we can bring these matters up for discussions…and demand that the Minister of Health and the Chief Executive Officer of the Georgetown Hospital come before us so we can investigate why one company is getting all the contracts.”
He also called for government to do its own investigations in the processes of drug purchases and make it known to not only the National Assembly for scrutiny, but to the Guyanese taxpayers whose monies are being spent.