Review Procurement Law – Says hospital administrator

Professor Ohene-Adjei, Chief Executive of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), has called for a review of the Public Procurement Law to accommodate peculiar needs of the health service providing institutions.

He said the present situation where hospitals, as emergency service providers, have to follow the same procurement process as any other public sector institution was not the best.

It was for this reason that a second look must be taken at the law to ensure that compliance with it did not result in delays and loss of lives.

Professor Ohene-Adjei was speaking at the opening session of a two-day procurement training for entity tender committee members, heads of directorate and business managers of KATH in Kumasi on Wednesday.

It was jointly organized by the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) and the management of the facility.

The PPA is mandated to facilitate the training of public officials involved in public procurement at all levels to help to maintain ethical standards.

Professor Ohene-Adjei said the hospital’s commitment to best practices in procurement predated the passage of the Public Procurement Act in 2003, having established its own supply chain management unit in 2001.

Since the passage of the law, KATH has been a leading light in the observation and adherence of its provisions he said, adding that, it had excelled in all successive ratings under the various supply chain management audits conducted by the PPA.

He urged the participants to take the training serious by asking relevant questions and offer suggestions that could be factored into public debate for the review of the Act.

Mrs Faustina Okuadao, Head of the PPA, said the law aims at promoting transparency and the removal of corruption to achieve value for money in government’s expenditure.

Source: GNA