A Sole distributor for the purchase of medicines LLP "SK- Pharmaceuticals" began procurement procedures for free drug provision of the population in 2018. Today there was an opening of applications from potential suppliers who wished to participate in the procurement tender.

Within the framework of the tender, 484 positions of medicines will be drawn, which will be given to the population for free. These are vaccines, drugs against tuberculosis, diabetes, viral hepatitis and other socially significant diseases, whose treatment is included in the guaranteed amount of free medical care.

Acting chairman of the board of SK- Pharmaceuticals, Asemgul Erzhanova explained that the volumes of purchased medicines were declared by medical organizations themselves, and the list of medicines for free medicines is approved by the Ministry of Health. The list of a single distributor includes only 1137 names of medicines and medical products, indicating the maximum purchase price for each drug. Asemgul Erzhanova explained:"In total, according to preliminary applications for 2018, it is planned to purchase about 178 billion tenge. Now the tender was announced for 489 titles for the total amount of 82.4 billion tenge".

Asemgul Erzhanova added: "The remaining positions from the list of a single distributor are either those drugs that are already produced by domestic pharmaceutical manufacturers with whom we have long-term contracts, or foreign medicines that do not have analogs in Kazakhstan, from which we plan to purchase drugs directly".

Now the tender commission, which includes employees of the Pharmacy Committee of the Ministry of Health, employees of the Single Distributor, and experts from various healthcare sectors, will study the tenders from potential suppliers within 10 days, check their compliance with the requirements of legislation, and the claimed drugs - for compliance technical specification.

After the commission makes its comments, potential suppliers will have the opportunity to eliminate them within five days. This ensures transparency of tender procedures. Only after this, potential suppliers will have access to participate in the auction at a price reduction during which the pharmaceutical companies that will supply free medicines to hospitals in the country will be determined.

A total of 40 pharmaceutical companies submitted applications for participation in the tender. To ensure additional transparency of the process, a single distributor sent invitations to participate in the tender procedures of representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Prosecution Authority Office, the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Accounts Committee, the «Nur Otan» Party. Representatives of medical organizations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan and profile associations agreed to participate in the procedures as observers. The procedure for opening applications was broadcasted online on the website and on the official account of SK- Pharmaceuticals LLP.