The Health Minister takes on the medicine procurement in hospitals, announced the Council of Ministers in its Draft Decree. It was published on the website of the Ministry of Health for public comment.

In his new activity, the Minister will be assisted by a new unit in the Department, which will be created for the occasion – the “Central Unit for Negotiation and Administration.”

As a central authority, responsible for procurement in the “Healthcare” sector, the Minister will plan, prepare and carry out medicine procurement procedures. He will also be concluding framework agreements on behalf of hospitals.

Based on the concluded framework agreements, hospitals will determine the contractor using electronic auction and will conclude individual agreements, envisages the document.

The Minister will have the power to supervise the implementation of the framework agreements in relation to their compliance with their conditions – prices, quantities, deadlines and more.

The project also includes the possibility, if necessary, the Health Minister to conduct procedures to conclude the framework agreement on behalf of hospitals, through electronic auction.

One year after the Decree comes into force, the Health Minister has to provide conditions for conducting an auction through an integrated information system – an online platform for e-commerce needs of hospitals – indicates the text.

Until the conclusion of the framework agreement under this Decree, the medical institutions will provide their medications under the previous order, and the existing framework agreements and contracts with the same subject, concluded by hospitals’ management, will retain their validity for the period for which they have been concluded, except if terminated before the expiry of their term, it becomes clear from the draft document.

The change will result in time savings, administrative and financial resources for the hospitals and will reduce drug prices, are the motives of the Health Ministry. Furthermore, the reorganization will enable a faster and better response to the needs of hospitals, the presence of stable contracts and easing the system responsible for appeal procedures, according to the Department. According to them, the introduction of e-procurement will also facilitate the participation of all wholesalers, who are listed in the register for holding an authorization for medicines wholesale, and will increase the competition and improve the contracting sector conditions.

The extended use of electronic means and resources and the integration of the platform with the existing electronic records will contribute to the full publicity and transparency to effectively confront and prevent corruption in the sector, is said in a statement.