The State Procurement Board (SPB) has waivered NatPharm from tender requirements on their purchases of pharmaceuticals and related products citing the upholding of quality standards by the company over the years.
However, for direct purchases, the pharmaceutical company still has to seek the approval of the SPB.
In a letter to NatPharm copied to the Ministry of Health and chief secretary to the President and Cabinet Misheck Sibanda, SPB acting principal officer Cledwyn Nyanhete said:
“The board has observed over the past few years, that the quality of evaluations of your tenders has reached a high standard.
“The board therefore resolved that the accounting officer should determine all tenders for drugs and related pharmaceutical products and report to the board on a quarterly basis. The $50 000 threshold has therefore been lifted without restriction. “For all direct purchases you still have to approach the board for authorisation.”
The SPB said it had observed of late there had been various tenders floated for drugs and related pharmaceutical products.
NatPharm managing director Flora Sifeku said the company had a fully-fledged autonomous procurement unit and this was in sync with provisions of the SPB Act.
She said all stakeholders were involved in the tender adjudication committee including some independent observers.
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“We involve all users. Samples supporting purchases are sent to users before adjudication, the nursing sisters in wards or technicians in laboratories are given the opportunity to assess quality issues,” added Sifeku.
