New GPC pre-qualified to supply drugs for three years

Jun 25, 2013 News

The New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (New GPC) had been qualified to supply drugs to the Ministry of Health for a period of three years between 2010 and 2013.
This disclosure came from Junior Finance Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill, who said that the Ministry is currently gearing to invite suppliers to be prequalified for another period in the future.
“As I understand it the New GPC won the right to supply drugs to the government through what is called a pre-qualification process and that was for three years,” he said at a press conference at Freedom House.
As a result, New GPC continues to be the supplier of drugs, said Bishop Edghill.
He said that the renewed arrangements for procurement of drugs is being undertaken by the Ministry of Health and the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board to put in place a new process to invite prequalification of suppliers.
Queens Atlantic Investment Inc (QAII) is the parent company for New GPC both of which are owned by Dr. Ranjisinghi “Bobby” Ramroop and have been the subject of a range of criticisms regarding its finances and financial arrangements with the Guyana Government.
This past week, the Alliance for Change (AFC) renewed criticism of the practice of sole sourcing drugs from new GPC.
The party leader, Khemraj Ramjattan, had accused the Minister of Health of dodging questions on the matter and as a result he said that such questions will be posed at the parliamentary level when the House convenes.
A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Shadow Minster of Health, Dr. George Norton, had also leveled claims against the ability and capacity of the New GPC to supply the quality and quantity of drugs required.
“We are still in the situation where health centres are without their quota of basic drugs. We are encountering piles of expired drugs during our examinations…Patients are not getting the prescribed drugs at the public health facilities, they have to purchase them from private pharmaceutical agencies,” he said.
According to Dr. Norton, other local companies should be given the opportunity to bid for the supply of drugs to public health facilities.
And on Sunday, former Speaker of the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarran, in a scathing attack on the party, leveled claims of corruption against those closely affiliated with the party.
Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, called the comments by Ramkarran “damning” but said that the party has not as a collective addressed the matter and will issue a formal response in due course.
Ramkarran, in accusing the party, had said that “since the last elections several revelations have emerged of corrupt, and even potentially criminal activities by persons currently or previously associated with the PPP and who have friends in the leadership or access thereto…Corruption has become so pervasive that it is no longer possible to keep the evidence away from the press and the police.”

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New GPC pre-qualified to supply drugs for three years

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