MORE THAN $153.9M in medical supplies will be sole-sourced following Cabinet’s approval last Tuesday, Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman said on Thursday.Caribbean Medical Supplies Inc. will supply the Public Health Ministry with Biohit pipette tips and devices to the tune of $34.4M. That same company will also supply the ministry with Nova Express Test Strips to the cost of $16.2M.

Beckman Coulter Reagents will also be provided to the Public Health Ministry at a cost of $23.2M, in addition to Becton Dickenson Syringes, needles and tubes at a cost of $39.5M. However, the Eagle Reagents will be supplied by Eureka Medical Laboratories Inc. at a cost of $40.5M.

The Natural Resource Minister told reporters that these supplies for standard and technical services were being acquired through sole-source to avoid loss of life or injury to a person due to the absence of critical drugs and or equipment.
He further explained that a decision to single-source is taken when there is a possibility that the process of going out to tender could cause delay in delivery, which could affect the timely delivery of health-care services.