The President of the Republic, José Raúl Mulino, informed the country that he has instructed the Minister of Health, Fernando Boyd Galindo, to file a formal complaint with the Public Prosecutor’s Office for multiple irregularities found in contracts for the purchase of well drills and submersible pumps, managed by the previous government administration.
While the investigation is underway and it is determined whether the drills and pumps can be used, the National Government will carry out quick tenders to hire companies to continue with the plan to build wells in different parts of the country, and thus fulfill the promise of bringing water to communities that suffer from an irregular supply.
This revelation was made this Thursday during his morning press conference.
Regarding the purchase of the drilling rigs, the president explained that the acceptance certificates for the different equipment were issued between December 5, 2023, and December 17, 2023, and the drilling rigs were paid for in advance in May 2024. However, the equipment was actually delivered on June 30, 2024.
This means that the drills arrived in Panama six months after the alleged delivery described in the minutes; almost two months after they were fully paid for; and two days before the new government took office.
There was no official record of the actual handover. “Simply put, some trucks arrived where the Mental Health Institute is, formerly the Matías Hernández Hospital, and they were placed in the yard on Sunday, June 30, two days before leaving the government, and at night,” the president explained to the country.
In addition, the instruction manual for the drills was delivered in Chinese, which makes it impossible for MINSA officials to understand how to operate them. To date, the specifications for the machinery have not been delivered. “Since we do not have the technical specifications or user manual for the drilling machines, there is no certainty that they will work correctly,” the president added.
Regarding the irregularities detected in the purchase of submersible pumps, necessary for the correct operation of the wells, he said that the previous MINSA administration issued a list of charges with the technical specifications, but once the purchase was awarded, the supplier – unilaterally – indicated that the pumps described in the contract were not available and that they would be replaced with different ones, without any documentation to prove their origin.
This was accepted by the previous administration through memoranda, without the endorsement of the Comptroller General of the Republic, contrary to what is mandated by the Public Procurement Law.
In light of this situation, the president said that “as soon as possible, we will select suitable companies that can drill wells in the different regions of the country.”
Opening hours at health centers are extended
Likewise, President Mulino announced that care will be extended until 6:00 pm in all MINSA and Social Security health facilities.
“There is no reason for a health center, Minsa-Capsi or CSS hospital to close at 3 p.m.,” he stressed.
