Bisnowaty gets big chunk of K1bn to supply Malawi essential drugs
The Central Medical Stores Trust (CMST) has awarded contracts to eight companies to supply drugs and a medical supply for public hospitals with a big chunk of the contract has been allotted to SADM Pharmaceuticals.
SADM Pharmaceuticals Limited is owned by Lilongwe-based businessman David Bisnowaty and been given a contract of over MK1 billion.
According to a CMST statement, the contracts have also gone to Pharmanova, Worldwide Pharmaceuticals Distributors, Intermed, Mediworld, Dawa, Sonali Pharmaceuticals and Premium way International of the UK.
The development comes after a severe drug and medical supplies shortage hit public hospitals.
“The restricted international competitive bidding tender for supply and delivery of Pharmaceutical products was done using a list of 28 pre-qualified suppliers,” reads the statement in part.
It is expected that the firms will deliver the supplies within 5 to 12 weeks.
Recently, doctors at the country’s referral hospitals sent an “Open Letter” to President Joyce Banda – asking her to intervene to stop public hospitals from becoming what they say are “waiting rooms for death.”
President Banda told parliament earlier this month, that her government inherited a slew of problems with drug distribution to the public hospitals from the previous administration.
She sought to assure lawmakers her government is working on plans to decentralize operations in the state hospital and Central Medical Stores systems and increase the budget for the Ministry of Health.
President also said, in the short run, her government will start purchasing drugs directly from the manufacturers without involving the vendors – to decrease the opportunities for theft.
