Drug purchases...Opposition moves to question Health Minister in National Assembly

Drug purchases…Opposition moves to question Health Minister in National Assembly

Mar 29, 2017 News

The political opposition has taken to the level of the National Assembly to grill the Public

Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence

Health Minister, Volda Lawrence, regarding various aspects of the procurement of drugs and medical supplies for her Ministry.
Lawrence is expected to provide a written reply to the questions submitted by Opposition Member, Juan Edghill.
The Executive Member of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is calling on Lawrence to provide information regarding the total sum expended for drugs and medical supplies for the Ministry of Public Health between January 1, 2016 and February 28, 2017.
Edghill asked Lawrence to state what percentage of the 2016 budgetary allocations for drugs and medical supplies was expended by December 31, 2016; if any monies were unspent and returned to the Consolidated Fund and how much was returned.
He is also asking Lawrence to state what were the reasons for the underperformance in the procurement of drugs and medical supplies for the public health system.
The former Junior Finance Minister also wants the Public Health Minister to tell the National Assembly, the name of each supplier; the value of each contract and date of award; the name of the supplier/s which failed to deliver within the stipulated contractual period and by what amount; and the name of the suppliers which delivered inferior/substandard drugs and medical supplies.
Lawrence is also expected to state in each case of procurement, whether these tenders were publically advertised; if so when and where and, if any of these awardees were pre-qualified.
But that is not all. In each case of the above, the Opposition wants Lawrence to tell the nation which body of the Ministry of Public Health was responsible for evaluating and recommending the award of these contracts.

Opposition Member, Juan Edghill

Furthermore, Edghill wants Lawrence to tell the nation the number and names of any contracted suppliers which delivered drugs and medical supplies that were expired, were close to expiry date, and/or, of an inferior quality, between January 1, 2016 and February 28, 2017.
He also wants the Minister to provide the specific drug, and, or medical supply, and the dollar value in each case which was procured and found to be expired, and or, of inferior quality.
The Public Health Minister is expected to also state whether she has information that any employee(s) of the Ministry of Public Health, and, in particular the Materials Management Unit, and /or the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, has/have been complicit with contractors/suppliers of pharmaceutical and medical supplies in defrauding the state.
If this is the case, Lawrence is being asked by the Opposition to state what actions have been taken to investigate these allegations; and to state whether the Office of the Auditor General and or the Guyana Police Force have been called in to investigate these allegations.
Edghill also wants Lawrence to explain to the House whether her unusual decision to relocate her ministerial office to the Diamond Drug Bond, E.B.D, as publicly announced in January 2017, has provided the opportunity for her to take a more hands on approach to the procurement of drugs and medical supplies for the public health system.