The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Drug purchase: tender results published

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Thursday, Mar 13, 2008
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Drug purchase: tender results published

Staff Reporter

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Medical Services Corporation Limited (KMSCL), company newly floated by the government to streamline drug purchase and procurement, has published the results of its first ever tender called for supplying drugs and consumables to the healthcare institutions in the State for the year 2008-09.

The tender, called for the first time after the State shifted its system of drug purchase and supply through the Central Purchase Committee to the corporation, attracted bids from 173 drug manufacturing firms.

In the previous years, not more than 100 companies used to take part in the tender process. The tender was called for supplying 507 drugs and consumables.

The bids were opened on Tuesday in the presence of the Health Minister and the Health Secretary. The process was entirely transparent and every bidder was furnished with copies of the rates quoted by all bidders.

The list of companies which offered the lowest rates (L1 list) were announced at 3 p.m. on Wednesday. The list of bidders and the L1 list are put on the website, arogyakeralam.gov.in, along with the rates quoted.

‘Good response’

In a statement here, managing director of KMSCL Dinesh Arora said that the tender evoked good response despite the fact that only companies with annual turnover of Rs.5 crore in the previous three years were considered.

He said that for some drugs, the rates quoted this year were lower than last time’s rates. The rate per unit of ciprofloxacin was Rs.102.90 in 2006-07, while the current lowest rate quoted was Rs.83. Insulin (Human-Rapid Acting) was Rs.74.50 per unit while the rate for this year was Rs.55.90. Acyclovir tablets, fixed at Rs.73.75 per unit last year was quoted at Rs.57.19.

In the past, cost-cutting resulted in drugs being supplied in sub-standard packing, which often affected the storage quality of drugs. This time, it had been made mandatory that all tablets and capsules be supplied in standard packing or blister packing with printed logogram.

The drug manufacturing firms had been given time till March 14 for putting up appeals.

Once the L1 rates were finalised, the KMSCL would negotiate with the respective companies and place orders after undertaking factory inspections and quality checks.

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