THE 12 RECOMMENDATIONS
1. The ordering of drugs be aligned to best practices by ensuring that orders take into account the consumption data, population, disease profile in Eswatini and other internationally established best practices for ordering drugs and medicines.
2. The Quantification Committee be strengthened with a level of independence in order to avoid any potential conflict of interest.
3. A proper, robust and reliable electronic management system for the ordering, storing, distribution and supply of drugs be sourced or developed without any further delay in order to account for orders and create accountability for drug and medicines management in the entire value chain.
4. The CMS be restructured and capacitated with adequate and relevant skills set at leadership and technical levels. In particular, the Head of CMS should possess necessary skills related to the management of drugs and medicines coupled with experience in governance.
5. The CMS be established as an independent State-owned entity to be located outside the Department of Health for the sake of independence and possibly with clear lines of accountability. An appropriate legislative framework would be necessary in this regard to deal with its composition, mandate, structures and operations.
6. Any future price adjustments to suppliers be effected in line with agreements and subject to the prevailing rate of CPI.
7. Disciplinary action be instituted against all officials implicated in wrongdoing in terms of this report and its annexures.
8. An interim management structure be instituted at CMS to stabilise the institution and establish proper systems for drug procurement, management and distribution, including a possibility of seconding or appointing an independent administrator.
9. Proceedings to recover E68 million which constituted duplicate payments as well as E7 million representing fraudulent claim of donated trial drugs be instituted against implicated entity.
10. Processes relating to possible blacklisting of implicated service providers to government be instituted in line with the provisions of the Public Procurement Act read together with the Prevention of Corruption Act. 11.No advance payments should be made in the purchase of drugs unless otherwise specifically contracted under certain exceptional conditions which must be approved by the Minister of Finance or his designated delegate.
12. A further investigation into payments made to suppliers be undertaken with a view to quantifying and allocating losses that may have been incurred by government based on undelivered stock that may have been paid for. Once concluded, processes to recover the losses or monies unduly paid to suppliers be instituted and suppliers implicated, be blacklisted.