Health: Emergency procurement can be compromised

The director-general of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Paulus Noa, says the emergency of purchasing medicine and other medical equipment in the health sector can be compromised because the process does not go through proper channels.
Speaking at the commemoration of the International Anti-Corruption Day today, Noa said the day is being observed at a time when the world is faced with the Covid-19 pandemic, and most governments are forced to buy medicine and medical equipment on an emergency basis without going through proper channels anymore because there is no time.
However, at the same time, they are taking risky moves because some officials involved in the process can take advantage of the situation and commit corruption, he said.
This year’s International Anti-Corruption Day is commemorated under the theme “Recover from Coronavirus (Covid-19) with integrity”.
‘CAN’T BE DIVERTED’
Noa said Namibia is among more than 187 countries that signed and ratified the convention that adopted the day, because the country finds it necessary to be part of a process that is fighting corruption as it affects economies by depriving countries of the most needed resources and hampers efforts to address inequality and the alleviating of poverty among communities.
The country representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to Namibia, Alka Bhatia, said corruption undermines trust in institutions, exacerbates the vast inequalities exposed by the virus and hinders a strong recovery.
Stimulus funds and vital emergency resources that are diverted cannot be allowed, Bhatia said.
“Recovery from the pandemic must include measures to prevent and combat corruption as well as bribery. We need broad partnerships to strengthen oversight, accountability, transparency, building on the global anti-corruption tools provided by the UN Convention against corruption,” she said. - Nampa