Wild West facemask pricing during COVID-19 pandemic

Suplidora Doble A,   a company registered during the Martinelli presidency (2009-14) to participate in government tenders, such as supplying office equipment, office furniture, food, dry meals, and sports equipment,” and  which has been largely dedicated to car bodywork and car repair, has emerged as a supplier of facemasks at over three times the going  price during the coronavirus pandemic

While  Santo Tomás Hospital will pay just over $8 for the same type of mask as the Dr. Manuel Ferrer Valdés polyclinic in Calidonia, which will pay $ 1.64 per unit or less says a La Prensa investigation.

Through a direct contract for “evident urgency”, the board of the Santo Tomás Hospital approved the purchase for $101,115 from Medical Innovations & Advances Corp. SA, for being “the only company” that has the immediate delivery of theN95  masks against high-filtration particles N-95, without exhalation valve, for personnel dealing with patients suspected or confirmed with coronavirus.

In a technical report, the hiring is justified by indicating that “the fight to control the viral outbreak that is shaking the country at the moment is a national emergency.”

The resolution approving the acquisition of 12,600 medium face masks – dated April 24 – was signed by the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Health and Delegate President of the Board of Trustees of the Santo Tomás Hospital, José Baruco.

The masks –which have No. 28475 as their technical data sheet– are the same ones requested by the Dr. Manuel Ferrer Valdés Polyclinic of the  Social Security Fund (CSS).

In the proposal form, $328 is assigned to buy 200 masks at $1.64 per unit. 

The “urgency” to contract directly also had the Institute of Agricultural Marketing (IMA) on  Thursday, April 23, paying more than triple the value to acquire masks from Suplidora Doble A  The IMA would disburse $12,000 for 2,000 KN95 model masks, at $6 per unit.

The same masks that the IMA bought were purchased two days before by the Ministry of Government at a unit cost of $2.69. The masks will be used by the personnel of the Single System for Pre-hospital Emergency Management (SUME) 911.

SUME’s executive director, Gil Fábrega, wrote to the director of Public Procurement, Raphael Fuentes, by note, claiming that he required direct contracting with Médica Fértil, SA, for more than $28,700 to acquire 10,000 masks, because “ the company was the one that offered the best price and, therefore, represents the best interests of the State ”.

A web search with the NK95 mask model reveals that masks are available at $1.41 per unit. The price would be because a new design was placed on the ears and it has four layers of protection. The same model of the KN95 mask, but in the shape of a “3D” cup, can be purchased at $1.88 per unit.

Suppliers of medical supplies consulted by La Prensa  agreed that the costs of the masks acquired by the entities are “exaggerated”, since prices in the market are lower, despite the pandemic, and even more so when they are requested in  large quantities.