SERHA reaffirms integrity of process to procure neurosurgical drill

The South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) is reiterating its position that there were no breaches of public procurement rules in the acquisition of a new neurosurgical drill for the Bustamante Hospital for Children.

Opposition Spokesman on Health, Dr Alfred Dawes, has claimed that his investigations into the procurement process for the $31-million drill revealed what he described as “obvious corruption [and] blatant mismanagement” taking place in the Ministry of Health and Wellness and SERHA.

However, SERHA says as the regional authority mandated to manage health services in Kingston, St Andrew, St Thomas and St Catherine, it operates under the strict guidelines of the Government of Jamaica’s Public Procurement Act.

"All actions taken by the Authority were aligned with our legal, technical, and operational responsibilities," it said in a media release on Thursday in which it urged all parties to refrain from politicising the matter.

SERHA said it invites any review by independent oversight bodies, including the Auditor General or the Integrity Commission, should further clarification be required.

Dawes had asserted that the procuring company's Customs declaration form, which he said was accompanied by an invoice from the manufacturer, revealed that one of the drills was purchased for US$1,600, and an additional J$90,000 was paid in Customs fees. Additionally, he stated that the drills were not new but refurbished.

However, Medical Technologies Limited, which procured the drill on behalf of the hospital, said in a media release on Wednesday that the drill referenced by Dawes and the documents he showed represented the motor component of a drill owned by Medical Technologies - purchased some years ago. It said the motor component was sent to the USA on September 26, 2024, for repairs.

It attached an invoice for the repair to its press release, noting that the drill repair has nothing to do with the new drill of a different model sold to SERHA.

The company said it participated in a transparent tender process for the procurement of the neurosurgical drill and was successful in its bid.

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