‘Kase failed’

The National Main Stories

By REBECCA KUKU
PUBLIC Accounts Committee (PAC) deputy chairman Gary Juffa says Pascoe Kase has failed in his job as the Health Secretary to make good recommendations and advice for the Government in 2013.
“We want to know, how you committed this country and its taxpayers money to pay for the 2013 medicine procurement and supply contract.
“Because it was your job as the health secretary to ensure that the country and its citizens get the best quality medicine and pharmaceutical drugs because it concerns life.”
“So basically, after the (health) department threw away the A$38 million (K87 million) Aus-Aid project to supply medicine, it is like K70 million plus down the drain.”

The National’s news reports that highlighted the medical supply issues in the run-up to the PAC inquiry.

“The Health Department then forced the people of this country to pay K70 million for the contract awarded to Borneo Pacific Pharmaceutical (Ltd) (BPPL) at that time.
“K70 million of taxpayers money of this country would not have had to be used to pay if the Australian government were not forced to pull out of their project to supply medicines and pharmaceutical drugs in the country.
“That was after the Health Department decided to remove ISO 9001 Certification as a requirement.
“Secretary, the country needs to know your name and what you have done,” he said on the third day of the PAC inquiry into the National Department of Health (NDoH), National Procurement Commission (NPC) and BPPL on the awarding of two government contracts worth K100 million to supply medical kits and antibiotics in August.
Juffa said PAC would also inquire with the technical evaluation committee because “we want to know how it was decided that an internationally certified company that distributed medicines and pharmaceutical drugs and was ISO 9001 Certificated was not good enough for PNG in 2013”.
Juffa also asked Kase why two companies who bid at a much lower price than BPPL and who had the ISO 9001 Certification were overlooked at that time.
“Why wasn’t the contract to procure and supply medicine at that time not given to the International Dispensary Association (IDA) who had been doing the procuring and supplying in the previous year?
“They were known internationally and were good enough for Australia but the NDoH decided they were not good enough for PNG?
“So, we selected a company that only distributed medicines in PNG, a company that bid K20 million higher than IDA and did not have the ISO 9001 Certification at that time?”
Kase, however, told the inquiry that the IDA was not awarded the contract in 2013 because it was not registered with the PNG medical board which was a crucial requirement under the country’s laws.
He also told the inquiry that the Australian government withdrew its funding due to the contract not being awarded to IDA.
PAC chairman reminded Kase that Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop at that time justified the decision, saying that Australia was pulling out its A$38 million (K88 million) aid because it was concerned about the tender process and how the contract was awarded.
Kase said he was not aware of that and would check his files as he believed that the funding was just for one year.

21 comments

  • He has done enough damages. Three or four things not right and warrants his termination and subject to PNG and international Laws. However, check on the other side conflict of interest by Australian Government. Did that come with certain conditions and PNG government not honouring that. Kassel also has done many great things. Turñ every table. Just a thought. Persons of vestoed interest in this move if there is will surface. Finally many who benefitted are now silent and those who were not are now crusifying one man. God bless PNG.

  • Kase need to further clarify as to what PNG Laws that was never met by IDA? IDA have been previously distributing countries medical drugs and they should be awarded the contract as it is also certified and met 9001.

    Kase need to further explain to the people of PNG.

  • PM James Marape and team be congratulated for such finding , finally we see some lights, So called free Health and here we are seeing all these shit been happening under the table. Kase has to go.

  • Former Health Minister, Health Secretary, and the entire drug procurement team should be charged criminally for the lost of so many lives. My family too has suffered losses as a result of this. PAC must now call for public to provide evidence and to proceed with legal action. I have strong credible evidence of the suffering faced by my family as a result of this drug supply corruption and scandal.

  • I believe certain politicians were behind these contract awarding.
    A former health minister, that time moved heaven and earth to get this contract awarded to Borneo.
    Secretary Kase clear your name. Do not protect these scums.

  • Whether Kase was used by a former health minister or not BOTH the former Health Minister and Kase must stand trail if the contract awarding process is not consistent with our LAW

  • Just because of that there is always cut down in essential drugs. Our country is dealing with fake Drugs. Good to monitor and put it out in the public and public can see.

  • Amen! Our Good Lord from the heaven above will not physically come down to us and pick point where the wrong doings are but he will use the true leader who have a heart for his people to reveal every secret hidden in the darkness for so long to the public.PAC,good work you have done so check the other government departments too.

  • When you talk about Health Department and anything to do with health you are literally talking about the “Life of People”. If you compromise with anything at all in the Health Department either drugs, services, health workers attitude and etc. You are compromising with the life of people.
    PAC please scrutinize this Department “inside out and outside In”. Please don’t stop there continuing to other ‘Economic Sector Departments.
    LET US TAKE BACK PNG FROM THE GREEDY PUBLIC SERVANTS AND POLITICIANS.
    PNG DESERVES BETTER THAN WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW.
    PAC DO JUST TO THE SILENT MAJORITY.

    THANK YOU WE ARE PRAYING FOR YOU.

  • If evidence found, lock them up in bars behind.they will proof to the court of law.

  • not just BPPL there are a few other companies where medicine is procured all sharing the spoils at the cost of PNG citizens . All medical supplies needs to be investigated for the last 5 years !

  • Kase’s usefulness in is his role as per his technical capability, is mainly to deal with legal aspects including contracts and policy management. Even pathetic, the learned lawyer, secretary, with ample advice by PAC, was not even prepared, e.g., “Kase said he was not aware of that and would check his files”, why worship him, replace him with capable persons. lives of pngeans is more important. as a general observation; what a bunch of stupid highly paid and self-helping secretaries, ceos, managing directors and members of parliament this country is grooming for the so-called “Developed Black Christian Nation” project?

  • Thank God we now have some ” REAL PAPUA NEW GUINEA” leaders who consider the good of the simple grass roots who cannot afford being treated offshore or at other private hospitals in PNG. Previous government leaders must be aliens who do not worry about the people they are serving. They should feel and try to right their wrong quickly before it haunts them for we are image of God and God will surely repay you.

  • PNG now has the rightful people who are true PNG patriots in the PAC and that is the parer of the many tax payers out there.

  • No wonder why not even a single a drugs (medicine) reaching Ikundi Aid Post in Menyamya and Simogu Sub-Health Centre in Yalia LLG Obura Wonenara.Please think of those population in our remote PNG.Please Enough of this practise because we are all tax payers.

  • Its a daylight murder to civilian who would have died by curable deceases as malaria, TB etc in both urban and rural areas who are still looking for this drugs. This action is no difference in murder.
    Is there law for murder, then every one in the chain should be properly diagnosed and treated in their faulty brains in the prison because we have best prison psychotic doctors. Also its better for them not to come out to benefit from the stolen wealth.

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