Tender row could hurt syringe supply

By CYRUS OMBATI

Shortage of baby immunisation syringes looms in public hospitals following a tender and supply dispute.

Sources at the Ministry of Public Health told The Standard available stock may last for only two weeks.

The Public Procurement Oversight Authority is expected to rule on Thursday who, between Angelica Medical Supplies Company and Revital Healthcare, should supply the required 10 million syringes.

Whichever way the ruling may go, there may be a shortage of the vital equipment, insiders claim.

Revital Healthcare had appealed for the second time to the authority after the ministry awarded its rival Angelica Medical Supplies Company the deal, citing technicalities, which it (Revital) argued were baseless.

To prove it was right on the alleged technicalities and standards, Revital sought the certification of the Kenya Bureau of Standards and WHO, who confirmed its syringes comply with the required standards.

The Ministry of Public Health undertook the tender for the supply of 10 million 0.5 milli-litre syringes.

cancelled tender

The ministry awarded the tender to Angelica – a local franchise of Belgium’s Becton Dickison – but the Public Procurement Oversight Authority cancelled it over irregularities. The authority found out the firm was awarded the tender despite having been the highest bidder. Revital appealed to the review board, which cancelled the tender on January 18.

Angelica had bid Sh6 for each syringe while the complainant, Revital, submitted its bid of Sh3.95 a syringe. With Revital’s bid, the Government stood to save Sh20.5 million.

Sources said there are fears the looming shortage of syringes could affect up to a million children set to be immunised.

"We do not know what will happen thereafter because this row seems to be endless," said an insider, who sought anonymity.

The ministry said the Government would float fresh tenders but denied the cancellation would cause a crisis.