Monday, October 08, 2007
As anti-dengue supplies run low, hospital chief suggests shortcut
MEMBERS of the bids and awards committee (BAC) will convene today for the purchase of medical supplies for dengue patients and to discuss how these will be paid for by the Cebu City Government.
Medicines and laboratory reagents are running out at the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC), which is why hospital chief Myrna Go will request to buy the supplies without going through the usual bidding.
City Administrator Francisco Fernandez, who chairs the BAC, said he will meet the committee members so they can go over the purchase orders from the different agencies involved in the anti-dengue campaign.
Last Friday, the City Council appropriated P5 million charged to the City’s calamity fund to be used for disaster response and preventive measures, after declaring the entire city in a state of calamity.
Among the items the City Government will buy are dextrose, medicines and reagents for blood testing and screening.
“We are really lacking supplies and medicines, and since there was already a declaration of a state of calamity and this can be considered an emergency situation, hopefully the BAC will yield to an emergency purchase and we can do away with the bidding because that will take long. We need the supplies now,” Go told Sun.Star Cebu yesterday.
Besides, even if the BAC opts for a direct purchase of the items, Go said it will also have to canvass the price of the goods to get the best deal.
Observer
Councilor Augustus Pe Jr. said a member of the local media will also be asked to sit as an observer in the BAC meeting today to ensure maximum transparency in the purchase and proper use of the calamity funds.
The City Health Department and the CCMC have requested for additional supplies in preparation for the expected rise in the number of dengue cases this month and in November.
At CCMC, Go said they also have to set aside medicines and other supplies not just for patients in the dengue ward but also for their other patients.
Additional funding is also needed for more dextrose, which has become more expensive. From P18 a bag in previous years, a dextrose unit now costs P50 to P60, she said.
“We recognize the urgency of these requests, that is why I will convene the BAC today to discuss the purchase requests and what mode of procurement we will adopt,” Fernandez said yesterday. (LCR)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (October 8, 2007 issue)
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