DOH: No duplicate payments made for PPE, pandemic response supplies

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MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) stated on Wednesday that no duplicate payments to the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service (PS-DBM) for the same set of personal protective equipment (PPE) were made.

The DOH stated that it needs to acquire full sets of PPE in bulk as well as loose surgical masks and face shields separately for healthcare personnel in both high and low-risk areas.

During a Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing on Tuesday, the senators asked the DOH if it transferred PHP42 billion to the PS-DBM and purchased the same PPE sets and other pandemic response supplies such as testing kits, face masks, and face shields at the start of the pandemic early last year.

“The PS-DBM maintains a virtual store – similar to online shopping platforms – where common-use supplies and equipment, like PPEs, are available for the purchase of national government agencies and local government units. Virtual store orders can be immediately claimed by the procuring agency,” the statement read.

The DOH purchased loose face shields and surgical masks from the online business to supplement PPE supplies for healthcare personnel in low-risk areas immediately.

“As for the bulk PPE sets, these had to be ordered and took more time to be delivered. The PPE sets include nine components such as coverall suits, gloves, N95 mask, head cover, shoe cover, surgical mask, surgical gown, apron, and face shield,” it said.

It went on to say that the transactions were separate and that “all orders were totally turned over to the Department”.

Healthcare workers at public and private hospitals and other health facilities, the Bureau of Quarantine, and Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Units were all given free PPE sets, according to the DOH.

House committees to hold hearings during break

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Spread the loveMANILA – The House of Representatives has authorized for its committees to conduct hearings during the five-week congressional break, extending until late April.

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