Paidamoyo Chipunza Senior Health Reporter
NatPharm, Zimbabwe’s sole pharmaceuticals procurer, is inviting bidders from reputed wholesalers and distributors to provide bonded warehouse facilities and services.

The move is expected to improve drug availability and affordability.

In its call for expressions of interest (EOI) published in last Friday’s Government Gazette, NatPharm said the contractor shall be responsible for storage of essential medicines and medical supplies in their bonded warehouse using own resources.

The items in the bonded warehouse will be sold to both NatPharm and other private sector players as and when the need arises.

“The objectives of this EOI (is) to ensure that medicines and medical suppliers are readily available at very short notice whenever they are required in the country,” reads the Government Gazette.

The strategy is expected to ensure there is significant reduction of lead-time.

EOI documents can be obtained upon request through an email to [email protected].

Deadline for submitting the EOIs shall close on November 15, 2019 at 10am.

“The EOI must be enclosed in sealed envelopes clearly marked ‘Expression of Interest for the support services of a bonded warehouse,’ before 10:00 hours on the closing date and time. Any EOI submitted after the closing date and time whether by hand or by post will be treated as late EOI and therefore will not be accepted,” reads the Gazette.

The Ministry of Health and Child Care has been advocating for establishment of bonded warehouses for pharmaceutical products to address current challenges facing the sector, including exorbitant costs of medicines, recurring stock outs, all of which impact negatively on patient care.

Once the warehouses are set up in the country, it is anticipated that Government would then negotiate favourable prices on different products.

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