Amid years of varied controversies, the Ministry of Public Health is calling on prospective suppliers of pharmaceuticals to make their concerns about the procurement process known so that appropriate guidelines could be crafted.
As a series of consultations with prospective suppliers began yesterday, Permanent Secretary (Ag) Colette Adams explained to Stabroek News that there was an old guideline document but it needs adjustments. She said that document had “a lot of grey areas” and even when adjustments by her ministry were made, it was found that enough bidder input was not had.
Yesterday’s pre bid meeting was held at the Regency Hotel on Hadfield Street and saw attendance by about 20 persons, from various companies. The companies present included the New GPC, International Pharmaceuti-cal Agency, Caribbean Medical Supplies and Meditron among others.
On the Ministry of Health’s panel was its Permanent Secretary Adams, Government Analyst-Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD) Director Marlan Cole, Caroline Headley, who is contracted for USAID’s Global Health Supply Chain Program on Procurement and Supply Management, and Cecil Jacques, who is a Technical Advisor at Supply Chain Management Systems.
“We want to hear from the suppliers because there is a lot of grey areas. What we want to do is have suppliers tell us the challenges they have, so that we can meet with the GRA (Guyana Revenue Authority), Ministry of Finance, NIS and all other key players… When they would have purchased this document… they can iron everything out… so by the time they submit they can be easily qualified,” Adams stated.
“They had a document before but it had a lot of adjustments to be made. We had a lawyer look at it and we came up with a draft of what the document should look like. The thing is, we also realized that the suppliers understanding of what was needed was important. They needed a guideline to avoid not having a particular document or requirement and we need to tie some of what they recommend to that document,” she added.
Under the previous PPP/C administration, a controversial prequalification system was fashioned in such a way that only New GPC was able to bid for major drug supply contracts. That process has since been abandoned by the current administration.
Follow the law
A main issue of concern highlighted yesterday was the amount of documents that had to be provided to the GA-FDD and to the GRA when suppliers would have brought their supplies into the country. GA-FDD has stepped up its enforcement measures in recent months and this had led to the prohibiting of a number of drugs and food items. Cole’s measures have led to a flurry of lawsuits against the GA-FDD.
Yesterday, one bidder sought to blame Cole for the amount of documents he had to supply before his supplies could be released and delivered to the respective procuring agencies. “You get one paper and Mister Marlan Cole is asking that you get this and that; letters from the overseas suppliers and producers… and your things get hold up at customs all this time,” the man said.
“How come Mr Marlan Cole is coming up with a new law that your product have to register …in the US, Canada UK or Australia…,” he added.
But Cole and Jacques were quick to explain that requirements are not set by any individual or agency and that the laws of Guyana and current GA-FDD guidelines should be referred to. “This is not about Marlan Cole. This is about the GA-FDD and it is about what is in the law book. You guys know clearly there is a registration checklist issued by Food and Drug. So if you want to register your drug you have to…follow what is the law,” Cole argued.
Both men went on to read from the laws and rules book pertaining to importing pharmaceuticals into this country. Cole pointed to diabetes medications that were being supplied to the public health system that were not approved.
The officials related that a patient at GPHC was being given the generic medications and her blood sugar levels kept climbing. Remembering other cases where it was found that the generic drugs had to be switched, the patient was asked to try other. However, it was too late and the patient died.
Risk
Cole said he was not going to risk the lives of Guyanese and that all importers needed to get clearance and documentation from the respective pharmaceutical companies they were purchasing from.
Minister of Health Volda Lawrence has said that preliminary investigations had found that some companies were supplying a generic diabetic drugs and it was shown to elevate blood sugar levels in patients.
At the Georgetown Public Hospital there have also been complaints where patients woke up while undergoing surgery since the anesthetics being used were inferior. The Ministry of Health and the GPHC are continuing investigations into those matters.
Cole that the issue was not one of importers being only allowed to bring branded drugs, because in Guyana a lot of medications used in the public health system are generic. Instead, he said that his agency’s focus is that those generic drugs comply with international standards and not just “brought from anywhere.”
Some suppliers said that at times they also are hassled by the GRA on their imports and have to undergo laborious tasks of getting documents to state if their drugs are prescription or not. All of this they say happens while their imports are still with GRA and because of the long waits before release, they incur huge sums of demurrage fees.
After the meeting, the USAID contractor told this newspaper that she felt the session was informative and could serve as a guide as the ministry plans its way forward, regarding procurement.
“I think this has been very positive with a frank, free exchange of views. I think the ministry is really putting together a good way forward. I am very excited about that and I am glad to see so many suppliers and how committed they are,” Headley said.
For the Ministry of Public Health, it wants other interested suppliers to get a copy of the guideline document, which should be available by month end and to peruse it and give feedback.
“We are inviting persons to pick up a copy of the document, it costs $3000…and follow through with the procedures because they will be invited back for a talk,” Adams said.
