Ministry followed proper procedure on Surgical gloves tender

BY BHARATHA Malawaraarachchi

HEALTHCARE and Nutrition Ministry yesterday stressed that the tender for the procurement of surgical gloves had been awarded by following the proper tender procedures and Government regulations.

"This tender was awarded after much scrutinising by several levels committees including high level Government officials and medical consultants," a Ministry spokesman told the Daily News yesterday.

Refuting certain news items (not in the Lake House Group) which appeared recently, the spokesman said the Ministry had adopted proper procedures in the procurement of the gloves.

Ministry Secretary Ranjith Maligaspe said a committee appointed by the Cabinet in June, 2005 decided to purchase 13.1 million surgical gloves(in five separate sizes).

This Committee comprises the Secretary to the Public Administration Ministry D. Dissanayake, Ranjith Maligaspe and Secretary of the Science and Technology Ministry S. W. Rajapakse.

Only three tender applications were accepted and they were referred to a Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) comprising Dr. Nihal Jayathilake (Ministry's Additional Secretary), Dr. Sarath Collure (Consultant Surgeon), R. M. S. P. Ratnayake (Senior Assistant Secretary - Finance Ministry) and M. P. Kuruppu (Deputy General Manager State Pharmaceutical Corporation).

"This committee came to the conclusion that samples produced by two tender applicants were unsatisfactory and only one was acceptable. However, due to the difference in the prices between the accepted tender and two that were rejected, the TEC decided to seek the advise of more consultants on this matter," the spokesman added.

Accordingly, Prof. Mohan De Silva(Consultant Surgeon -Kalubowila Teaching Hospital) and Dr. K.S. Perera(Consultant Surgeon - Colombo National Hospital) were consulted and they also conducted tests on this.

"Their report too matched with the report of the TEC on the two lower priced tenders and accordingly, the TEC recommended that the tender should be given to the remaining one, which was a Singaporean company. The Cabinet too approved this recommendation," he added.

Despite this, one party which was not satisfied appealed to the Appeals Board which too upheld the decision taken by the Cabinet.

"Therefore, it is very clear that the Ministry had followed proper tender procedures and Government regulations in this instance. The Ministry paid special attention to this tender due to price differences and sought the assistance of several consultants."

Maligaspe stressed that the Ministry had to take extra-precautionary measures to ensure a quality health service to the public. "Therefore, drugs and other pharmaceutical items supplied to state hospitals should fulfil the required standards."

He explained that a lower price is not the sole qualification for being selected for any tender."We have to give priority to the protection of the patients and to maintain the health service in a satisfactory manner."