PHARMACEUTICAL Expert Jerome Kanyika has charged that the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency-ZAMMSA- is going against the Public Procurement Act in seeking to single source Unified Procurement Authority -UPA- of Egypt for the supply and delivery of essential medicines.
The Ministry of Health and ZAMMSA are seeking to irregularly pay an Egyptian agency about 70 million to 120 million dollars for the supply and delivery of essential medicines as well as other medical supplies, without local suppliers.
But Mr. Kanyika has condemned this move saying it has an effect on the local pharmaceutical industry as many pharmacies are likely to shut down.
He has since challenged ZAMMSA to state clearly whether this will be a once off purchase or supply from Egypt will become Zambia’s norm.
And when contacted for a comment, ZAMMSA Director General Billy Mweetwa explains that this is a government to government procurement aimed at responding to emergency situations in the health sector and will be a once off procurement. – PHOENIX NEWS
ZAMMSA breaking law – Jerome Kanyika
