HONEY BEE PLOT DEEPENS: … Company denies supplying substandard condoms and gloves

By NATION REPORTER

Honey Bee Pharmacy has denied supplying substandard condoms and gloves.

Honey Bee said it had not been paid any penny for the 5000 medical kits it supplied so far, and that the contract was not for US$17 million but $3.9 million.

According to the company, a test done in India at a World Health Organisation laboratory, found nothing irregular that would suggest the products were unfit for use.

The company also indicated that no dispute had been communicated by its client regarding the ‘defective’ condoms and gloves. (To page 3)

“Therefore, no one can say with certainty that the kits in question were ours and that the purported results are in fact what was alleged at the PAC meeting last week,” the statement reads in part.

Honey Bee also indicated that the contract for the supply of various health kits had a clause that relates to disputes and the said clause required that when a party has a dispute or there was some disagreement regarding the quality of the product, same must be verified in the presence of both the supplier and the contracting party.

Honey Bee believes its competitors are using the media to dislodge their business.

“It is very clear that this is a competitors’ fight aimed at eliminating the other competitor. In this case we are victims of a politically-motivated fight aimed at former Minister of Health Dr Chitalu Chilufya by his enemies within and outside government,” the company stated.

Honey Bee stated that it had not been paid any penny the 5000 medical kits it supplied so far, worth $3.9 million, emphasizing that they were of high quality, meeting WHO standards and were sourced from reputable manufacturers from India.

And Honey Bee said contrary to speculation, the ZAMRA license was issued to the company before the re-inspection was done and that all procedures and the required statutory fees were paid.