The Health Ministry has refuted claims by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng  that international medical supplies company B Braun did not obtain a contract from the Health Ministry to sell its products.

Health director Hasan Abdul Rahman said that Lim’s claim that most pharmaceutical companies, including manufacturers, which sell their products to government hospitals need to go through middlemen is “untrue and inaccurate”.

“Allegations that the ministry practices cronyism in the procurement of medical products are serious,” said Hasan in a statement yesterday.

“It is hoped that with this clarification, we have corrected the facts and the wrong perception towards the matter,” he added.

“We are prepared to explain (again) if there are questions which need further clarification.”

Hasan was referring to Lim’s remark on Wednesday that Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai is confusing the people instead of clarifying whether pharmaceutical companies can sell their products directly to the public sector and to hospitals.

In the report published by Malaysiakini yesterday, Lim, who is DAP secretary-general, said the issue was raised during his second debate with MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek on July 8.

He added that Liow should assist companies like B Braun, which manufacture 100 percent of their medical devices and pharmaceutical products in Malaysia, so that they need not go through “middlemen” to market their products.

Guidelines set by Treasury

Hasan said like any other ministry or federal agency in the country, the procurement of medicines are made according to guidelines already set by the Treasury.

Companies - whether manufacturers or suppliers - must register with the Health Ministry if they want to deal with the hospitals, he added.

To ensure the safety and quality of the products, they must be registered with the National Pharmaceutical Control Bureau, Hasan stressed.

“This shows that only those who are registered with both entities can supplies medical products to the hospitals,” he said.

“The allegations that the manufacturers or the suppliers of medicines need to deal with the hospitals via a third party are clearly untrue,” he added.

Meanwhile, Hasan said based on the ministry’s records, B Braun - which operates in Penang - has three three-year contracts with the former via its sister company, B Braun Medical Supplies Sdn Bhd.

It is registred with the Treasury as a supplier of medical products to the Health Ministry, added Hasan.

B Braun Medical industries Sdn Bhd - the main company - also supplies products to the ministry in a bid it won via an open tender, he stressed.