President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has issued a stern warning to regional health officials, stating that anyone operating outside of the government’s new centralized medical supply system will face termination.
The President delivered the directive during a meeting on Monday with regional health officers (RHOs), hospital administrators, and top health ministry officials, including Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony and Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh.
Effective July 1, 2026, this new platform will serve as the exclusive system for managing pharmaceuticals and medical supplies nationwide. The move is designed to eliminate fragmented purchasing practices and ensure real-time visibility of inventory across all facilities, from regional hospitals to the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Under the new mandate, regional authorities are stripped of the power to make independent emergency drug purchases. Any such procurement must now receive explicit authorization from three key officials:
The Director of Regional Health Services
The Chief Medical Officer (CMO)
The Head of the Materials Management Unit (MMU)
Additionally, a high-level committee—comprising the Minister of Health, the Permanent Secretary, the Chief Pharmacist, and presidential advisors—will meet monthly via Zoom to oversee and determine emergency supply requirements across the entire sector.
President Ali emphasized that the shift is vital for improving healthcare delivery and protecting public investment. The system aims to:
Reduce waste caused by expiration, damage, and overstocking.
Bring losses below industry standards.
Ensure accountability through defined sign-off responsibilities.
“The investment we are making to ensure the people of this country have the best possible healthcare includes our facilities, hospital administrators, and RHOs,” the President stated, reinforcing that non-compliance will not be tolerated.
The platform is currently live, and once the July 1 deadline passes, all previous regional procurement systems will be officially collapsed.
