Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif orders review of vaccine procurement — Dawn
In Islamabad, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered a review of the procurement of vaccines against meningococcal meningitis and influenza for pilgrims and people seeking work abroad. The procurement was carried out by Border Health Services Pakistan under a public-private partnership, Dawn reports.
According to the Prime Minister's Office, the review will be conducted by a five-member committee chaired by the secretary of the Cabinet Division. It includes the director general of the Intelligence Bureau, the chief executive officer of Pakistan's drug regulator, a representative of the Attorney General of Pakistan, and the managing director of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority. The latter will also serve as the committee's secretary.
What the committee will examine
The committee is to determine whether the procurement complied with applicable rules and procedures. In particular, it will examine the justification, legal basis, and required approvals for using the public-private partnership model, as well as tender documentation, vaccine volumes, payment terms, standard bidding documents, and bid evaluation criteria.
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The committee will also review compliance with procurement timelines, evaluation procedures, complaint review mechanisms, and requirements for mandatory disclosure of information. It was tasked with assessing the financial implications of the procurement, the justification of vaccine prices, revenue-sharing mechanisms, and safeguards to protect the public interest. If violations are identified, the committee is to determine those responsible and propose further steps. A report with findings and recommendations is to be submitted to the prime minister within 48 hours.
Legal challenge to the tender
The review was ordered amid questions about the legal basis for the procurement, the conduct of the tender, the financial implications of the agreement, and compliance with public procurement requirements. It is claimed that under the previous scheme, vaccination cost about 1,250 Pakistani rupees per dose per person, while under the new one it costs approximately 4,500 rupees per pilgrim.
Seven pharmaceutical companies challenged the tender in the Islamabad High Court. The plaintiffs alleged violations of public procurement rules and insufficient transparency, claiming in particular that the notice was published in only one newspaper rather than on the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority's website and in at least two nationwide English- and Urdu-language publications. The court issued notices to the Ministry of National Health Services, the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority, the Public-Private Partnership Authority, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, and a private company. Health Minister Mustafa Kamal and Border Health Services Pakistan said they had complied with all rules and would respond to the court.
