Report of the Public Procurement Commission on the procurement of emergency drugs (Part I)

This is our fourth article for the year on the procurement of pharmaceuticals for the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). To refresh our memories, by letter dated 28 February 2017, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the GPHC sought the approval of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) to procure on an emergency basis $605 million worth of pharmaceuticals from ANSA McAL on the grounds that: (a) the items requested were only available from that supplier; and (b) the emergency procurement was authorised by Minister of Public Health. Attached to the letter was an invoice from ANSA McAL of the same date. The Chairman of NPTAB was reported to have stated that he saw the letter on the same day of the Stabroek News article on the matter and that he was rather surprised at the sequence of events. As a result, he wrote to the Minister expressing his concern.