The Public Health Ministry and its state enterprise, the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO), now have to terminate their plan to procure 8.5 million sets of the Covid-19 Lepu antigen test kit, according to the Rural Doctor Society (RDS).
Dr Supat Hasuwannakit, president of the RDS, said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said in an order approved by the cabinet on Tuesday that test kits procured by the government must meet WHO standards.
The Lepu test kit that will be supplied by Ostland Capital Co -- the winner of the bidding conducted recently by the GPO to select the test kit supplier -- has not been approved by the WHO, said Dr Supat.
He said he believed the Prime Minister's order will serve as a way out of a dispute between the ministry and the RDS over the procurement plan.
The test kits will be used for the government's mass Covid-19 testing.
It's not too late to cancel the controversial procurement plan now the procurement contract is still in the process of being drafted, he said.
The ministry and the GPO should suspend the contract signing and instead comply with Gen Prayut's order, said Dr Supat.
The GPO told the media late on Tuesday afternoon said it would proceed with signing the contract to purchase 8.5 million Covid-19 test kits from the bid winner at a cost of 1.01 billion baht.
The GPO cited confirmation by the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Lepu test kit's quality as a reason for pressing ahead with the plan, said a source.
The GPO has yet to set a date for the contract signing, saying it will inform the media once again.
The PM's order also says the test kits must also be approved by the Thai FDA.