New HIV testing equipment to be installed soon

THE Health Ministry said it was common that a contract such as the $40 million agreement for the supply of new HIV testing equipment between Massy Integrated Retail Limited and the ministry would be a lengthy process.

The ministry was responding to a newspaper report that the equipment has not yet been installed at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC), Mt Hope, and has raised some concerns.

“It is understandable and common that a contract of such a significant value and complex nature would have a lengthy deliberation process before parties arrive at a final agreement.”

The report also questioned Massy’s qualifications to supply such equipment as it did not have an official medical equipment division.

In a statement yesterday, the ministry said all the required procurement processes were followed in relation to the procurement of the equipment.

The contract for the sup­ply, in­stal­la­tion, and com­mis­sion­ing of equipment for a mol­e­c­u­lar bi­ology lab­o­ra­to­ry of the ministry was awarded on February 6, 2018, by the Central Tenders Board to Massy Integrated Retail Limited (Massy Distribution Division) at a total cost of $40, 645, 357.20, which will cover a five-year period.

The legal agreement was prepared by the Chief State Solicitor’s Department, Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs, and signed by Massy and the ministry on March 20, 2019.

The ministry said a molecular testing platform will be installed at both the EWMSC and at the Medical Research Foundation (MRF) by the third quarter of 2019. The relevant staff training will be conducted. This will be followed by the commissioning and then the testing of the equipment before full deployment.

The ministry said viral load testing for HIV-positive patients continued on the current testing platform at the EWMSC and the MRF, and assured that there was no significant backlog of tests.