DND clears DOH in equipment purchase delays

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Health (DOH) is not responsible for any delays in the procurement of hospital equipment for the Armed Forces of the Philippines Medical Center (AFPMC), an official said yesterday.

Department of National Defense spokesman Arsenio Andolong said the AFPMC, as a military hospital, is directly under the AFP and the procurement of key medical equipment is supervised by the DND bids and awards committee.

 “The DOH’s only role is to check on the specs to make sure that these are all state-of-the art equipment,” he said.

Andolong issued the statement after President Duterte, in his State of the Nation Address, warned that he would replace Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial if the procurement system for military hospitals is not improved.

It was the second time the President threatened to replace Ubial. Earlier this month, he gave Ubial 60 days to make procurements for military hospitals as he promised to improve them to address the ongoing conflict in Marawi City.

Andolong said the procurement of a magnetic resonance imaging scanner and other equipment is underway after they resolved some technical glitches.

He said the purchase of a hyperbaric chamber, used to enhance wound healing, is in the post-qualification stage.

Andolong said the delays in procurement is mainly because the bidders did not conform to the equipment specifications provided by the DND’s technical working group (TWG).

A source at the AFPMC confirmed that the procurement of the equipment Duterte wants was delayed because most of the equipment offered by the bidders are outdated and did not conform to the TWG’s specifications.

“There was even one businessman who is trying to derail the procurement of the hyperbaric machine because he kept on insisting of selling his old stock,” the source said.

Yesterday, Ubial said the medical equipment will be delivered to some military hospital within the week. 

Camp Teodulfo Bautista Hospital in Jolo, Sulu stands to receive most of the equipment, she said, adding that they include anesthesia machines, ventilators, patient monitors, oxygen tanks and beds.