Direct bulk buy of saline endorsed amid dengue endemic

A crisis of lifesaving saline amid endemic prevalence of dengue across Bangladesh prompts the government to approve procurement of 2.0 million pieces of the fluid in direct-purchase process.
With the go-ahead given Wednesday by the cabinet committee on economic affairs (CCEA), in principle, the state-owned Essential Drugs Company Limited (EDCL) will supply 1.2 million pieces of normal saline and 0.8 million pieces of glucose saline of IV fluid to the department of health for treating dengue patients in government-run hospitals.
Officials say the numbers of dengue patients and deaths from the mosquito-borne virus "have broken all records" this year, creating a severe crisis of saline. Normal saline and glucose saline of IV (intravenous) fluid are essential to treat dengue patients.
Amid the shortage, saline is being sold at higher prices in local medicine markets-in an unhappy coincidence with prices rises of consumer goods.
According to health department data available Wednesday, some 21 dengue patients died by official count, raising the total number of causalities from the Aedes mosquito- borne disease to 867.
A high number of 3,015 new patients also took admission on the day being infected with the viral infections.
This year, until now, as many as 173,795 dengue cases were reported while 162,447 recovered following treatments. At present a total of 10,102 dengue patients are undergoing treatment across the country.
Presided over by Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, a virtually held meeting of the cabinet body also gave approval in principle for a proposal of the Directorate General of Food for conducting Balancing, Modernization, Rehabilitation and Expansion (BMRE) of Chittagong silos also through direct-purchase method.
Later, the minister also chaired a meeting of the cabinet committee on government purchase which approved a number of proposals, including procurement of edible oils, lentils and fertilisers, among others, amid price rises.
Briefing newsmen after the two meetings, cabinet division additional secretary Sayed Mahbub Khan said the meeting gave approval for the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) to buy 8.0 million liters of soybean oil from City Edible Oil Limited at a cost of Tk 1.282 billion through local open-tender system.
Each litre of oil will cost the exchequer Tk 160.30.
The TCB was also given approval for buying 6.5 million liters of rice-bran oil through direct purchase from two other local private companies --Majumder Products Ltd and MRT Agro Products Ltd-- at a total cost of Tk 1.033 billion with each litre costing Tk 159.
The state marketing agency will also buy 6000 tonnes of lentils under direct-purchase method from Bashundhara Food and Beverage Ltd and Foodco Agrocity Ltd with each kilogram priced Tk 111.
Moreover, the TCB is given the all-clear to buy another 21000 tonnes of lentils under direct purchase from Nabil Naba Food, Bashundhara Food and Beverage, Foodco Agrocity, and JI Traders, with each kilogram costing Tk 99.
The meeting also approved for Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) to import 30,000 tonnes of bulk granular urea fertiliser from SABIC Agri-nutrients Company, Saudi Arabia, at a cost of Tk 1.20 billion.
The corporation will also buy 30,000 tonnes of bagged granular urea fertiliser from Karnaphuli Fertiliser Company Limited (KAFCO) at a cost of Tk 1.188 billion.
Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) has been given approval to import 30,000 tonnes of TSP fertiliser from OCP, S.A. of Morocco, at a cost of Tk 1.30 billion.
Also, BADC has been given the permission to import 100,000 tonnes of muriate-of-potash (MOP) fertiliser from Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) under state-level contract at a cost of Tk 3.6 billion.

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