PNG to overhaul drug procurement

12 Apr 2011

Source: ABC Radio Australia

Papua New Guinea's public hospitals often face shortages of medicines and drugs due to an ineffective procurement and medical supply system.

The government has admitted, its drug supply division is ineffective and has blamed contractors engaged to purchase and deliver drugs, of not doing their job properly.

PNG's Health Minister Sasa Zibe says the Health Department's drug supply division is riddled with corruption and is ineffective.

He said he has instituted changes to how drugs and medical supplies are purchased and delivered to the public hospitals.

“I've factored this into our new national health plan, our issues right at the area medical store and once it gets down to the provinces, and how to get out into the rural areas,” Zibe said. 

“I think that is our major concern right now. But now it has gone to the administrator, the bureaucracy to implement what is there. My buck stops with the secretary of health.”

Papua New Guinea’s Health Secretary, Dr Clement Malau, says part of the problem lies with companies contracted to order and distribute drugs to hospitals. He says the current drug supplier's contracts and performances are being reviewed.

“That means purchase of quality required drugs and timely delivery to their facilities. At the moment, it's not happening effectively, so we want to improve on their efficiency, we want to look at the governance issues behind it, the corrupt issues behind it. We want to fix that as well,” he said.

Dr Malau says the Australian government's international aid agency, AusAid is also supporting a restructure to the drug supply division.

He said an AusAid officer has been engaged to restructure the drug procurement and tendering process.

Dr Malau said the tender processes will be reviewed and strengthened.

Over 50 PNG public sector procurement officers are currently studying the CIPS International certificate in procurement on a program run by CIPS for PNGCSTB under Aus Aid funding.