Bipartisan Committee Probes Sputnik V Vaccine Contract
Hon. Dr. Owusu Ayew Afriyie has clarified that, bipartisan committee will probe the Sputnik V vaccine contract.
He said that, the committee will comprise the NPP and NDC members.
He affirmed on Wontumi Radio/TV that the minority raised a motion on the contract and had seconded the motion.
Hon. Dr. Owusu Afriyie indicated that, Parliament will provide reference to the committee to determine the claims of the NDC.
The NDC claim that there has not been any agreement by the government to pay US$19 per jab of Sputnik V through middlemen instead of paying under US$10 for the vaccine.
Background
The Minority in Parliament was worried about government’s agreement to pay US$19 per jab of Sputnik V through middlemen instead of paying under US$10 for the vaccine.
According to them, other countries and multilateral agencies like the African Union (AU) purchased the same vaccines for under US$10.
Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minority Leader made the observation at a Minority media briefing in Parliament House on the price of Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccines.
The Minister of Health, Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu at a news Conference on June 16, 2021 justified the decision by the Ministry to purchase 3.4million doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine using a middleman, Sheik Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum of United Arab Emirates at a unit cost of US$19 instead of US$10.
He explained that the Ministry had faced difficulties using country-to-country negotiations and other means to get the vaccine hence the reason for using an intermediary.