The German-based provider of medical products and services was recently charged for bribery and corruption in a number of companies, including
Despite the criminal record, senior officials in the the Kidney Foundation Malawi is working tirelessly to ensure the company gets a lion's share of the contracts in the health sector. A development that has prompted health and social commentators to question the sincerity and commitment of ACB and PPDA in their fight against corruption and bribery in the public procurement sector.
"Of course, I don't have much information about this contract. But in any layman's understand, we would have expected the relevant bodies to take steps towards blacklisting the company," said Namiwa.
Chairperson for the Kidney Foundation Malawi,
ACB Senior Public Relations Officer Egritta Ndala requested for a questionnaire a week ago, but has returned any responses.
PPDA publicist Grace Thipha has also not responded either to our questionnaire sent to her a week ago.
Staff at the PPDA are wondering why ACB is not acting promptly to block companies with known and admitted criminalities from tendering on government contracts.
"We can not comprehend the decision making and vetting procedures operated by ACB. A simple google check would reveal the criminal track record of the company. Why do we want to enrich criminals?" said our source at PPDA.
Interestingly, the awarding of a contract to
For instance, on
"Kindly be advised that after careful consideration of the available information the Authority has determined that you are required to conduct a fresh open tendering procurement process of dialysis services. In this process the service provider is expected to supply, deliver, install, commission and maintain dialysis equipment and supply and deliver related consumables and accessories," reads part of the letter the PPDA wrote the Ministry of Health.
Fresenius agreed with the US government continued cooperation with the investigators so it can enhance its compliance program, implement rigorous internal controls and retain an independent corporate compliance monitor for at least two years.
It is against this background that social and health rights commentators in
A highly placed source at the ministry confided in
A concerned Malawian, Yamikani Nicholas Kachingwe, complained to the
"My worry is that, why should these two people be so desperate to force the Procurement department and why are they in forefront spearheading narratives in favour of the international kidney company?
"Don't we have equally suited companies in
In March this year,
Copyright Nyasa Times. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com)., source