The Malawi Government has awarded contracts worth K6.6 billion to four companies to supply Coronavirus prevention materials.
The companies are Galaxy Pharmaceuticals and Surgical Limited Lilongwe Chirani Limited, FirstMask Group of Companies and Victoria Pharmaceuticals Limited.
Galaxy was in April this year awarded two contracts to supply Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to Central Medical Stores (CMS). One contract is worth K708,677,500.00 while the other is worth K440,750,000.
The CMS also awarded two contracts for procurement of PPE to Lilongwe Chirani Limited. The company clinched one contract worth K813,118,165 and another worth K1,785,002,524.
Another company which has benefited from the Coronavirus pandemic is FirstMask Group of Companies. In April, CMS engaged the company to supply PPE in a K429,375,000 deal and another deal worth K584,905,078. In May, FirstMask also clinched a deal to supply PPE worth K285,916,872
The fourth company is Victoria Pharmaceuticals Limited. It was awarded to contracts worth K815,040,565 and K763,750,000 respectively to supply PPE.
All the contracts were approved by the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority.
Meanwhile, there are concerns that the four companies have monopolized the supply of Coronavirus prevention materials while companies owned by indigenous Malawians are being left out.
“This is entirely unfair, unpatriotic and trade monopoly! This shows that only the rich will continue to get richer. The poor will continue to get poorer. This is a bad precedent,” said whistleblower Yamikani Kachingwe.
