No overpricing in equipment acquisition, says supplier
Iloilo -- Manila-based Himex Corporation vehemently denied the alleged overpricing on five high end medical equipment it offered to West Visayas State University Medical Center (WVSUMC) in Iloilo City.
Rema Padilla-Ohno, executive vice president of Himex Corporation, in a press conference Wednesday said the outright purchase price of the five brand new medical diagnostic equipment offered to WVSUMC is P74 million.
However since the equipment are under the five-year lease to own scheme the total price amounted to P135 million.
The lease to own scheme, said Ohno, include the following: five-year warranty of spareparts, labor for five years with an extension of another two years, and comprehensive insurance against fire, flood for the period of the lease agreement.
Himex Corporation is set to deliver to WVSUMC this April five brand new Hitachi medical diagnostic equipment, namely: whole body Ct-Scan system, Model PRESTO, multi slice; ultrasound, Model EUB 6500 (4 probes with 3D); ultrasound, Model EUB 6500 (5 probes with 4D); conventional Xray, ceiling mounted; and R/F Xray, 800mA.
Ohno said there is no cash outlay on the part of the WVSUMC. The hospital will have a monthly payment of P2.25 million in the form of bank guarantee for five years without marginal deposit required.
She said the deal is much better compared to that of the banks which normally require a marginal deposit of 30 per cent.
Ohno stressed that the lease to own scheme is an original concept of Himex to assist government hospitals in acquiring high-technology equipment in an easy payment scheme.
She said the Lung Center of the Philippines in Metro Manila has availed of the same lease to own scheme in 2003.
To note, Himex submitted the lease to own proposal to WVSUMC in October 12, 2005.
The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) on November 8, 2005 endorsed through Resolution No. 34 the lease to own proposal of Himex.
The transaction, which uses the direct contracting mode of procurement of medical equipment, was also backed by the legal opinion of the institution's legal counsel.
A group of doctors and two private sector representatives of the Board of Regents of WVSU earlier questioned the regularity, legality and propriety of the entire deal.
As such, it was sought that the project “be held in abeyance until all the legal questions evident in the whole process are satisfactorily resolved.”
Fourth district Rep. Ferjenel Biron later joined the fray warning WVSUMC officials to bring the matter to the House of Congress.
On the part of Himex, Ohno said, they are ready to face any investigation as they have nothing to hide in the transaction.
She said all they wanted was to help WVSUMC considering that the hospital is in need of additional medical equipment.
In a related development, hospital workers and medical staff of WVSUMC came out with a statement of support in favor of hospital chief Dr. Ramon Guerra relative to the acquisition of lease to own equipment.