International Pharmaceutical Agency (IPA) Chairman Lloyd Singh is refuting statements made by the Health Minister that suggest his company has failed to deliver an emergency batch of the much needed Anti Retro Viral (ARV)drugs used to treat HIV infected persons here in Guyana.
He cited ‘ignorance’ as the reason someone would make such accusations against his company, and provided what he called “authentic” documentation, which, he said, proved that the drugs were delivered on time.
Singh said his company submitted a bid to supply antiretroviral drugs on March 9 this year, which was only awarded on September 1. His argument is that ARVs are not prepared and left in a bond, but are prepared on request by the supplier, Aurbinda Pharma Ltd of India.
A senior health official however, said that the problem is not linked to the larger shipment, but rather an emergency batch of five different ARVs that was requested in July. The official said the ministry was told that these would have been delivered in two weeks.
“He cannot use that excuse,” the official said when provided with Singh’s argument.
Minister Ramsammy had said the delay placed the country in a “shortage crisis”, and Guyana was forced to borrow drugs from Suriname, Haiti, Jamaica and Ghana.
While the IPA chairman insisted that none of the drugs was delivered late, both the minister and the other health officials confirmed with documentary proof that the supplies did not come on the agreed dates.
The IPA chairman has pledged however that the drugs will arrive long before the contractual timeline of November 1. He said the shipment has already left and the company has taken the initiative to deliver it via air to avoid any delays.
