Government agencies in spat over procurement of antigen test kits from China

[webfact]

 

By Erich Parpart

 

The chairman of the National Health Security Office (NHSO)’s bargaining committee said the Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) lied about the purchasing process of 8.5 million antigen test kits (ATK) amid public concerns about the quality of the kits.

 

The GPO defended itself on Thursday and said that during the decision process of which brand of ATK to buy, the GPO asked the NHSO for its advice.

 

More specifically, the GPO worried that if the government is going to purchase only the ATK kits that the World Health Organisation approved, as recommended by the NHSO, then there were only two options and only one of them has been registered by the Thai Food and Drug Administration.

 

Full story: https://www.thaienquirer.com/31228/government-agencies-in-spat-over-procurement-of-antigen-test-kits-from-china/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Enquirer 2021-08-14

 

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[Gottfrid]

What? Have the government been lying? Outrageous!

[herfiehandbag]

Since recent events have (to speak lightly) cast doubt on the veracity of any announcements by any government agency concerning the measures taken to counter the pandemic it is rather hard to know where to start on this one!

[hotchilli]

56 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

What? Have the government been lying? Outrageous!

I'm waiting for the official denial, then you know it's true.

[fallup88]

Thai government just love to buy overpriced stuff. SD / Standard Q tests are being sold at 75 baht per kit retail in Korea.

Just like how government paid more for Chinese vaccine than western brands.

[Mr Meeseeks]

Money Number One.

[Charlie Halliday]

The homekits we can buy in Thailand for THB350 Baht are being bought for THB30 in Germany and China by the Govt and the fella at the top of the pile. Disgusting really that these crooks are charging 1100% Mark up in a country where the average  wage is 300baht a day. 

[sapson]

8 minutes ago, Charlie Halliday said:

The homekits we can buy in Thailand for THB350 Baht are being bought for THB30 in Germany and China by the Govt and the fella at the top of the pile. Disgusting really that these crooks are charging 1100% Mark up in a country where the average  wage is 300baht a day. 

Totally agree average wage 300 baht for the low income workers, will they spend that on food or a test kit?

Never mind the Junta want to keep testing at the lowest levels possible....reality is not on their agenda.

 

Test kits available now are made by Roche of Switzerland who i believe donated a few million kits to Thailand for free.

[khunjeff]

"The GPO said the company that has offered the lowest price of 70 baht per kit during the auction was Ostland Capital and the ATK kits were made by Beijing Lepu Medical Technology."

 

And why are they buying from a middleman with no history of importing medical devices, rather than directly from the manufacturer? This has been the practice of the Thai Government for decades, and has resulted in numerous incidences of gross overpayments - and yet virtually any company in the world would be happy to sell directly to a foreign government at a competitive wholesale price.

 

'“The  GPO would save around 400 million baht from this purchase,” Dr Witoon Lianchamroon, GPO’s director-general said on Friday. “The test kits would cost 70 baht per kit which included VAT and the FDA has provided information on their quality and they are being produced by a giant Chinese comapny, Beijing Lepu Medical Technology.”'

 

And why is VAT being charged on urgently needed medical supplies in the middle of a pandemic?

[trainman34014]

Pah; just another argument over the size of Brown Envelopes available !

[Burma Bill]

11 hours ago, webfact said:

public concerns about the quality of the kits.

Buying more Chinese "junk"??????

[jacko45k]

3 hours ago, Charlie Halliday said:

in a country where the average  wage is 300baht a day. 

No it isn't.

[robblok]

6 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Money Number One.

You mean kickbacks / brown enveloppes number one. 

[unblocktheplanet]

It's criminal to charge anyone for an ATK! Public safety demands we know the level of infection to keep everyone safe. ATKs must be FREE!

[Andycoops]

The GPO is clearly an organisation that is not fit for purpose.

First they kept buying Sinovac when it's efficacy was known to be weak, especially against the now prevalent Delays variant.

Now we see more buying of Chinese products that appear to be ineffective, no need to wonder why. $$$$$$