MOH gets supplies through emergency procurement during COVID-19 pandemic

The Ministry of Health (MOH) carried out emergency procurement to ensure the needs of the frontliners were adequate since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country last January, said Deputy Health Minister II Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang.

He said the ministry used the guidelines and procedures under Treasury Plan 3.3, namely the Emergency Expenditure Guidelines (AP 55) and Emergency Procurement (173.2) for the purpose.

“Through this procedure, MOH was able to procure most of the equipment needed to face COVID-19, despite the lack of resources.

“They are 182 supplier companies appointed by the government for emergency procurement. So far, in terms of personal protective equipment (PPE), MOH has managed to provide stockpiles for use within three months and this will continue according to current needs,” he said during the question and answer session in the Dewan Rakyat, today.

He said this in response to a question from Datuk Liew Vui Keong (Warisan-Batu Sapi) who wanted to know the procedure used in the procurement process carried out by MOH during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aaron said the MOH always complied with the basic principles of procurement outlined under the existing financial law and procedures.

“All procurement for service and work supplies are based on the best principles, transparent, fair, economical and profitable for the government.

"Therefore, specifically for the purpose of procuring assets, medical and non-medical, MOH has identified and detailed the items that need to be procured and will delegate power to the responsibility centre (PTJ)," he added.

To a supplementary question by Ahmad Hassan (Warisan-Papar) on the number of local companies that managed to get tenders during the COVID-19 period, Aaron said he did not have detailed data on it at the moment, but the government had spent RM650 million for the purchase of assets and medicines.

-- BERNAMA