PAC to probe medicine deals

By REBECCA KUKU
THE Public Accounts Committee will hold a Commission of Inquiry on the awarding of the two government contracts worth K100 million to supply medical kits and antibiotics in August.
Committee chairman Sir John Pundari, pictured, said the inquiry to start on Oct 29 would involve the Health Department, National Procurement Commission (NPC) and Borneo Pacific Pharmaceutical. It will be aired live.
Police Fraud squad members, the Ombudsman and officers from the Public Prosecutors Office have been invited to attend.
Sir John told The National earlier that the inquiry was in response to the public outcry over the contracts.
“We will be looking into how the procurement and supply is done, how the contracts were awarded, money that may have been paid and other relevant information,” he said. “Our job as the Public Accounts Committee is to ensure that public funds are used for the right purpose.
“Let me also clarify that we have no personal vendetta (against) anyone and we are not condemning anyone.”
Sir John said they would also be looking into why the Australian government withdrew its two-year A$38m (K88.56mil) funding programme to supply drugs to health centres in the country out of concern over Borneo Pacific’s tender process in 2013.
“We will also be finding out where the medicines are being sourced from and why there has been continuous medicine shortages reported through the years despite the money paid.”
aid into the public health services.”