A local firm, Bundi Group of Companies, manufacturers of local HIV/AIDS test kits, has kicked against the Federal Government�s decision to import HIV kits worth N3. 7 billion, just as government has awarded the contract to Trinity Biotech of Dublin, Ireland. It is also expected that the company will soon start the production of the kits in Abuja.
However, local manufacturers of test kits are kicking against the federal government’s decision to award the contract to a foreign company. They argued that there is a local manufacturer of non-cold chain dependent HIV test kits that is capable of producing the same quality of product at half the cost quoted by Trinity Biotech.
According to the Managing Director of Bundi Groups Companies, Mr. Bob Udeagha, noted that the kits which is to be imported were not approved in the National Algorithm which he said was developed after six months of evaluating several HIV test kits by the Federal Ministry of Health.
He also revealed that the kits being imported are not registered by the National Agency for Foods Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC). He said, “The cost is about $5.60 per test when the locally manufactured equivalent that is NAFDAC registered and approved and included in the national algorithm is available at a price that will save the country over 50 per cent of the total worth, he said.
Udeagha said he was disturbed by the fact that, the FMOH published tender for supply of HIV test kits in July, 2006 after qualifying their company and giving them a letter of recommendation. He said as there were waiting for the quantity to supply, there were made to understand that the entire N1.9 billion in the 2006 budget has been diverted to Trinity Biotech. And about three days later another tender was published for the same HIV test kits.
He lamented that a lot of people may lose their jobs in local manufacturing firms for test kits should the ministry go ahead to import the them without buying a single kit from the local producers and without even considering the World Health Organisation or CDC recommendation that reliable HIV testing must employ the use of two rapid test kits or parallel testing algorithm
“NAFDAC, who evaluated our factory for Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) passed us and gave us a change of manufacturing source approval for our kits. They also visited our foreign partners factory in 2004 and the report is there. Has NAFDAC visited Trinity Biotech factory in Dublin, Ireland. The visit of NASCP confirmed that we are only receiving bulk membrane cards from our foreign partners and the rest of the packaging materials and the cutting of the membrane cards and
the pouching and quality assurance/analysis are done in our facility. We are using local printers and mold makers and injectors to produce other materials.
Meanwhile, it was gathered that President Olusegun Obasanjo was said to have directed the Special Adviser on Manufacturing and Private Sector, Ahmed Abdukadir and officials of the Ministries of Science and Technology and Health to investigate the matter.
However, Udeagha urged the President to intervene in the matter and ensure that a level playing field. He said if nothing is done to support the local industries that it will send a bad precedent to other intending local investors.
Nov42006