PRAZ relaxes State entities procurement process

STAFF WRITER

The Procurement regulatory Authority (PRAZ) has relaxed procurement processes to allow State entities to procure goods required to respond to coronavirus.

PRAZ chief executive officer, Nyasha Chizu said the move was in response to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s call to come up with strategies to mitigate the devastating impact of COVID-19.

The Ministry of Health and Child Care would co-ordinate the procurement of all COVID-19 requirements.

“The authority is invoking public procurement systems to effectively respond to requirements of all State entities that are responsible in one way or the other, to fight the disease,” Chizu said.

“The authority recognises the urgency to equip all State entities that are responsible for managing COVID-19 outbreak.”

It also recognised that the equipment, pharmaceuticals, protective clothing and disinfectants required are known but that the quantities required cannot be determined at this point.

“It is therefore necessary to orderly plan for the acquisition of the requirements for the four phases of disaster management of mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.

It is important that systems that achieve the objectives of the public procurement are put in place to minimise risks associated with emergency procurement. Such malpractices cripple the capacity of government to respond to disasters.”

Government has since established an inter-ministerial taskforce, chaired by Vice President Kembo Mohadi.

It is responsible for managing the response to Covid-19 and identifies any gaps for corrective action.

The Taskforce has also established eight sub-committees to streamline delivery of its mandate of monitoring the situation and managing the response to the pandemic.

The sub-committees were this week approved by Cabinet.

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