EPSA procures 56 million USD worth of reagents

Ethiopian Pharmaceuticals Supply Agency procured 56 million USD worth of reagents to be used in chemistry, hematology and blood sugar testing machines for the coming three years.

Helina Tesfaye, Chemicals and Medical Supplies Procurement team leader, stated that the purchase is part of the new three years procurement agreement called “placement” in which the supplying company provides machines for free while the Agency buys reagents used for the machines from the company.

The reagents are expected to be distributed to University hospitals, health centers and referral hospitals.

Isolated small scale reagent procurements of the past kept the price very lofty while the new agreement is a bulk purchase for three years. As a result of the latest procurement package, the price of reagents has gone down up to 90%.

There were also problems associated with the release of latest versions of the machines by producing companies as the process made it harder for Ethiopian health institutions to easily access earlier versions of the reagents. The latest agreement is expected to do away with such problems as the contracted company would supply the reagents uninterruptedly regardless of the production of machines using different reagents.

Yet another perk of the agreement is that health institutions would benefit from an active maintenance service by the contracted company as it seeks to keep the machines running.

The team leader pointed out that the Agency is undertaking preparations to distribute the machines along with the reagents.