-By Subrat Manu
Kathmandu, April 5 : In this critical period triggered by COVID-19, the health authorities need to present themselves more responsibly and energetically to safeguard the general public across the country from such pandemic. But, unfortunately, quite the opposite is the case.
This can well be gleaned from the shenanigans displayed recently by the Ministry of Health and Population while purchasing medical logistics from China to test and treat the patients of coronavirus. The procurement documents clearly show almost all the medical items worth over billion rupees were purchased at extremely exorbitant rates. For instance, the government paid over Rs 15,000 for a set of PPE (or personnel protection equipment), which normally would cost around Rs 3,000. Similarly, N-95 masks, which had been available at Rs 40 /per piece in the market, were purchased for nearly Rs 900 per piece.
The ministry had awarded the contract to the Omni Group on March 25 for supplying the medical equipment supplying the needed for containing any spread of the COVID-19 in Nepal. But it was done in a strictly dubious way by bypassing competitive bidding process. Moreover, some 75,000 rapid test kits worth US $ 6,000, supplied by the Group, were high unreliable. They failed to meet the standards set by both the National Public Health Laboratory and World Health Organisation (WHO). “Clearly, there has been a big game of commission and corruption while awarding the contract of purchasing these life-saving logistics,” says Suresh Ghimire, president, Chemical and Medical Suppliers’ Association of Nepal (CHEMSAN).
The government on April 1 decided to annul the very contract citing the failure of Omni Group to deliver the medical equipment within the stipulated period. However, it is yet to furnish any explanation behind the gross malfeasance in the supply of such equipment by the company. Such unaccountability on the part of the concerned authorities is suspiciously baffling.
Equally shocking is the fact that the concerned authorities are preparing to entrust the task of purchasing medical equipment related to COVID-19 to the Nepal Army.
Such preparation smacks off the ill-intention of the health and defence ministries to continue to embezzle huge amount of money on the pretext of combating the coronavirus pandemic.
When the NA purchases the medical equipment, there will be no any institution even the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) in the country to investigate whether such act is lawful.
