Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad speaks during a press conference in Putrajaya, November 8, 2019. ― Picture by Shafwan Zaidon

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 8 — Pharmaniaga Bhd will act as the interim concessionaire, to distribute drugs and medical supplies for the Health Ministry, for an additional 25-months, when their contract expires later this month.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad told a press conference that the Cabinet had decided that an open tender process would take place to appoint the next concessionaire company once the interim period is over.

Dzulkefly explained that the 25-month period was decided to avoid disruptions in services of procurement and distribution of drugs and medical supplies.

“We are giving ourselves 25-months for the ministry itself to be truly capable to do what has been done by Pharmaniaga.

“It could be earlier than 25-months, but we will be having the open tender ourselves,” he said.

Pharmaniaga has been the sole concessionaire for providing services such as warehousing and distribution of pharmaceutical and medical products, manufacturing of generic pharmaceuticals, marketing and sales; research and development.

Their concession contract ends on November 30.

Dzulkefly said the government had also decided to an additional five-year period with Pharmaniaga as the interim concessionaire company, if the ministry is still unable to handle the shift of duties after December 2021.

During this additional period, the company will function mainly to avoid disruptions in procurement and delivery services, while the ministry prepares and equips themselves to handle the tendering process themselves previously handled by Pharmaniaga.