DOH looking into ambulances flagged for 'overpriced' equipment
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health assured senators Wednesday that it was looking into the procurement of ambulances worth P2.5 million per unit after they were again flagged by a senator for coming with allegedly overpriced equipment.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson first questioned the ambulances procured by DOH under its Heath Facilities Enhancement Program (HEEP) in September for supposedly being overpriced by P1 million each.
DOH defended the ambulances at the time, saying they came with "complete equipment."
But at a hearing on the agency's 2022 budget, Lacson said the documents DOH submitted to his office to explain the purchase of the ambulances for Calabarzon only confused him further.
Among the items flagged by the senator were automated external defibrillators that came with the ambulances at P165,000 per unit.
The retail price for AEDs is P96,500, Lacson said, signaling a P68,000 markup.
He added that two cellphones with sim cards were purchased by DOH at P30,000 each even as local government units have reported buying phones with similar specifications for only P7,998.
DOH also procured dashboard cameras for P15,000 each but the retail prices for these items were only P4,500 each or P10,500 less.
"The discrepancy is huge," Lacson said in Filipino. "I hope [DOH] can at least be judicious in spending public funds."
Health Secretary Duque III replied that the senator was correct to flag the items, adding that he has since ordered his staff to canvas the prices of the equipment that came with the ambulances and conduct a "brand-to-brand" comparison.
"Rest assured, that we will have this investigated," he said. — Bella Perez-Rubio
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