Kase: Award of contract to Borneo Pharmaceuticals legal

 By ELIZABETH MIAE

THE Department of Health maintains that all legal tender processes were used in awarding Borneo Pacific Pharmaceuticals the contract to supply 100% medical kits and drugs.

“It’s on record in the minutes of the pre-bid meeting where all prospective bidders were present, discussed and agreed to remove this requirement (ISO 9001: 2008 accreditation) as they were not made aware of,” Health Secretary Pascoe Kase said.

He said they decided instead to use “current benchmarks used in previous tenders, including a letter of authority from their choice of manufacturers of Good Manufacturing Product, Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product and ISO 13485 Certificate for medical devices”.

Kase said the decision would not compromise the quality of medicines because the bidder’s choice of manufacturer must have the ISO 9001: 2008 accreditation. 

“ISO 9001: 2008 is a requirement for warehousing standards and is pertinent to manufacturers where the manufacturing process ensures that the quality is built into the product.

“This criteria has never been imposed on the middleman in previous tenders like 40% Aid Post and Health Centre Kits tenders,” Kase said.

“It was suddenly being pushed in an attempt to eliminate PNG companies from pharmaceuticals business.

“To ensure that Borneo Pharmaceutical’s nominated manufacturer, North China Pharmaceutical Group has an ISO 9001: 2008, the department undertook an audit report on the group, attesting to its ISO 9001: 2008 and Good Manufacturing Practice norms and that the quality of the drugs manufactured are assured.

“Borneo Pharmaceuticals won the tender because they have experience with the 40% kits.”