Cambodia Scraps Drug Export Tendering

Cambodia is to award a three-year monopoly for exclusive import of drugs and medical equipment used by the Ministry of Health to the Doung Chivv Import-Export Tourism and Transport Co, reports the Phnom Penh Post. The government has thus scrapped the competitive bidding system for drug imports which it introduced in 1995.

Health Under-Secretary Nuth Sokhom said it was the Prime Minister's decision to end tendering due to delays, sometimes as long as 60 weeks, in getting tenders approved and goods delivered, and that the Ministry had been working to overcome these delays.

The Ministry has set a budget of 12 billion riel ($4.8 million) for medical purchases in 1996, reports the Phnom Penh Post.