46% of the funds to be spent in 2017 will go towards purchasing cancer drugs, vaccines, antiretrovirals and antihypertensives.
In the purchase of vaccines alone, almost $17 million has been earmarked for the acquisition of 2.3 million doses against various diseases.
The budget of $207 million for procurement of drugs in 2017 was approved by the board of the Costa Rican Social Security Department (CCSS), and recorded an increase of $4 million compared to 2016.
In order to replenish stocks of medicines the Social Security Department will be able to sign contracts directly for amounts up to $500,000.
With the backing of President the Social Security Department (CSS by its initials in Spanish) plans to start signing contracts directly in the next 30 days, after presenting a proposal to the Board of the institution next Tuesday.
Purchase orders for which drugs must now be delivered within 30 days, correspond to tenders challenged in 2014.
The National Director of Finance and Administration of the Social Security Department (CSS), Arcadio Clement, told Prensa.com that "... the orders correspond to the tenders 01-2014 for $23.6 million, and 10-2014 , for $133.7 million, both held last year.
The Social Security Department is preparing for the end of April the documents for the tender of 514 different types of drugs classified as essential, chronic and not so essential.
This tender will be held in the form of unit price and aims to secure the provision of drugs for one year. The amount of investment has not yet been defined, nor the details of the specifications to be established.
The Honduran Social Security Institute (IHSS) has announced that it intends to carry out the process in October in order to begin distributing medicines in November.
The process for the next competition will be held in conjunction with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) for around $2.2 million in basic medicines.
A representative from the Intervention Commission at the Honduran Institute of Social Security (IHSS), German Leitzelar, told Elheraldo.hn that "... 'The award will be made this month and this supply, from the company who receives the award, will start to be delivered in November and December to cover a period of eight to twelve months'. "
Due to claims submitted by the participating businesses to the Panamanian Social Security Department the tender process for purchasing 79 types of drugs has once again been suspended.
Due to complaints made by the companies "...Inversiones Tagore, S.A., Nutrimed y Pharma Alliance ", the authorities of the Social Security Department had to suspend the public act until the process presented before the Third Chamber of the Supreme Court is resolved.
The supervisory committee of the Honduran Institute of Social Security has announced that it is preparing the purchase of medicines for patients with chronic diseases.
Germán Leitzelar, from the oversight committee at the Honduran Institute of Social Security, told Laprensa.hn that "... 'hopefully by the end of August we will be receiving the drugs.'"
The Government of Honduras has overturned a drug tender for $24.4 million and announced that the purchase will be made through a trust with private banks.
Elheraldo.hn reports that "the purchase was declared unsuccessful based on the State Procurement Act being contrary to national interests in virtue of the fact that it involves the purchase of medicines at a higher price than currently received by the Health Department through a trust with the private banking system".
The Union of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers in Guatemala is protesting over the cancellation of purchases processed at the end of the previous government, and the start of the current one.
The Union of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (Grefarma) declared its opposition to the rescindment of open contracts for drug purchases by the Finance Minister Pavel Centeno.
Four tenders for the procurement of medicines have been canceled in Guatemala, on the grounds that they were approved by the outgoing government a few days before the change of command.
The Ministry of Finance reported on the cancellation of 4 tenders for the supply of medicines via open contract.
The official argument holds that the tender was published on November 23rd , 2011 and the submission of tenders took place on 12th and 13th of January 2012, a very short time before the change of command, which took place on 14th January.