Corruption allegations over hospital purchases

MEDICAL ASSOCIATIONS and Transparency International Panama are calling for an investigation into the purchase of gowns and equipment at inflated prices by Hospital Santo Tomas(HST)

They have asked the Comptroller General and the Public Ministry (MP) to start an investigation into the purchase of disposable gowns and electric beds with a premium of nearly half a million dollars, authorized by the patronage of St. Thomas Hospital (HST).

The call comes days after reports of inflated costs for HIV and Hepatitis kits ordered by the Ministry of Health, https://www.newsroompanama.com/panama/6105–call-for-cancelation-of-overpriced-hiv-test-kits.html and the suspension of the country’s ombudsperson over questionably priced contracts,
Transparency International's vice president, Carlos Gasnell, referring to the HSt said the Comptroller must endorse warnings before such contracts are madw considering that the regulations of the Law on Public Procurement are almost "zero" as well as the laws governing the procurement of drugs and medical supplies.
"There needs to be stricter regulation of reference prices, so as to reduce the possibility of acquiring cost overruns " he said.
The board of the HST ignored an alert of more than $48,000, over pricing for the purchase of disposable gowns.
Other warnings were made about the payment of more than one million dollars for 20 electric beds.
Each of these cost more than $ 52,000. A review of HST purchases shows that in 2011, a bed with the same specification was acquired in $20,122
Both contracts were signed between March and June this year with the company Healthcare Products Centroamericana, SA
The guilds of doctors also demanded an investigation by the Attorney General, because "mismanagement, politicization and corruption" could affect the health system.
The same line was taken by the secretary general of the Association of Physicians, Dentists Allied to the Social Security Fund (AMOACSS), Fernando Cebamanos.
"The problem of corruption, because it cannot be called otherwise, is when any transaction increases benefits for others to and not the institution," he said.
La Prensa asked, the comptroller, Gioconda Torres de Bianchini, via email for word of actions being undertaken over the $1,2 million purchases but got no answer, and for four days attempted to obtain a response from the president of the board of the HST, Jorge Hassan, but got no reply..
The leader of the National Negotiating Medical Commission, Fernando Castaneda, said it is unacceptable the "waste" of funds, while there is "lack" of medicines and supplies.