LAHORE, Feb 29: While the dengue threat looms large, the health authorities continue to ‘commit serious mistakes’ as they have made agreements for buying insecticides and equipment in violation of the purchase manual, it is learnt.

On finding mismanagement on the part of the health department which struck deals with two companies, the department experts have rejected the imported insecticides and the equipment owing to certain reasons and recommended new agreement under laid-down rules and regulations.

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had ordered purchase of insecticides and spray machines for launching an effective campaign against dengue.

An official privy to the development told Dawn seeking anonymity that a technical committee, headed by Communicable Disease Control (CDC) additional director of the health department, Abdul Razzaq, raised objections to the effectiveness of the recently supplied 10,000 kilo insecticide having low shelf life. Agriculture department assistant director Muhammad Aslam and entomologist Muhammad Asif are other members of the panel.

Similarly, he said, a technical objection was also raised to the hand-carry fogging machines when Agricultural Mechanisation Research Institute (AMRI), Multan, found an important supporting gadget ‘cut off device’ missing. The function of the device is to protect the fogging machine from heating up during field work.

Further delay in making another deal for getting supply of the insecticide and the equipment may affect the ongoing efforts against the disease.

One of the major reasons for the last epidemic in the Punjab capital was similar ‘blunders’ by the health department whilepurchasing insecticides and equipment.

Last year, the health department had purchased ‘substandard’ insecticides, creating an embarrassing situation for the Punjab government.

“The 10,000-kg imported mosquito control insecticide – Malathion -- purchased by the health department a couple of days ago contains only 46 per cent shelf life. Hundred per cent shelf life means the drug will expire after three years. Some of the drug batches contain 20 per cent shelf life,” the official said.

He said according to the WHO standard guidelines and procurement manual policy, the companies were bound to provide imported medicines having minimum 75 per cent and local drugs 80 per cent shelf life.

Lamenting the negligence on the part of the health authorities, the official said it would take one month or so to process the procurement of insecticides.About spray machines, he said: “The health department is purchasing 419 hand-carry foggers to spray insecticide in the city in March.”

The AMRI experts rejected the hand-carry fogging machine saying that the cut-off device was the most integral part of the equipment without which the fogging machine could not function properly.

Health Special Secretary Dawood Bareach said the department would seek explanation from the company concerned for violating the agreement.

He said according to the contract agreement the company was bound to provide drug containing minimum three-year shelf life from the date of supply.

He said the health department had decided to consult Public Procurement Regulatory Authority for legal proceeding against the company and action would be taken on the recommendations of the PPRA.

He said the department might place supply order with the next qualified company which had quoted low price in the bid.About fogging machines, he said: “The AMRI is one of the reliable research institutes to test equipment and the department willfollow its recommendations.”