OVER $1.6B has been expended by the Ministry of Public Health on pharmaceuticals and medical supplies during the period January 1, 2016 to February 28, 2017 representing 96.1035 percent of the 2016 budgetary allocation by December 2016.

A total of $1,635,070,822 was spent all together, Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, said in a written response to questions posed by the Opposition on Monday.

The opposition requested the name of each supplier, the value of the contract and date of award, the supplier(s) who may have failed to deliver within the contractual period, and the name of the supplier who may have delivered substandard drugs. Lawrence, in her response said that one supplier was blacklisted by the Food and Drugs Department and noted that vaccines were received in the first quarter of 2017, which explains the under performance in the procurement of the drugs and medical supplies for the public health system.

She said too that the International Pharmaceutical Agency, Global Healthcare Supplies Incorporated and Ansa Mc Al Trading Limited failed to deliver supplies within their stipulated contractual period by the amounts of $381,193,319, $2,569,719.10 and $12,488,630 respectively.

The opposition also queried whether the tenders for procurement of drugs and medical supplies were publicly advertised to which the Minister responded in the affirmative. All contracts were awarded by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board was responsible for awarding these contracts. (GINA)