Concern grows on delay in drug contracts process

Five months have elapsed since seven companies submitted pre-qualification documents vying to supply billions of dollars in medical supplies to Guyana’s health sector and having received no response since, some believe that the delay is a tactic to have current tenders given to the New GPC.

“This is a process that should have taken three months and we are…in June and no one hear anything? … Everyone knows why this is happening, three years will pass and still nothing because this is exactly the way government wants it so that (New) GPC can get all the contracts while the delay (is ongoing),” a representative from one the companies told Stabroek News .

Several efforts last week to contact the Ministry of Health’s Permanent Secretary Leslie Cadogan for an update have proven futile. Calls and visits to his office are met with responses such as “PS ain’t deh,” “You have to check back,” or “He is busy at the moment.” On one occasion Cadogan’s secretary arranged a meeting but shortly after, called to cancel as once again “PS won’t be available.”

Observers and several companies said that they believe the stalling is a tactic to have current tenders given to the New GPC, which is