Ministry of Health reveals an additional 5 ventilators have been procured to the Maldives through Dubai’s Executors General Trading.
The health ministry said confirmation of the procurement of 5 ventilators had been received on December 14. The ministry said it is currently testing the condition of the ventilators.
With the latest procurement, Executors General Trading has now procured 15 of the 75 ventilators it had been contracted to procure to the Maldives. While the 10 ventilators which had been procured earlier were portable ventilators, the 5 new ventilators are ICU ventilators.
Dubai’s Executor General Trading was contracted to procure 75 ventilators in March, with 90% of the quoted price paid up front. The COVID-19 compliance audit conducted on the health ministry revealed the company was selected without assessing its financial and technical capabilities, in addition to not obtaining advance payment and performance guarantees.
Charges were forwarded against 11 officials of the health ministry following an investigation by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). However, the Prosecutor General’s Office rejected the charges, citing the lack of adequate evidence.