Former RHO bought over 50,000 boxes of ‘Sugar strips’, raises eyebrows

The former Regional Health Officer (RHO) of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Region
Four, Dr. Quincy Jones, purchased over 50,000 boxes of glucose testing strips commonly
referred to as ‘Sugar strips’. This was one of several questionable purchases made by Dr. Jones,
while serving as the RHO for Region Four.
This was the disclosure made by Dr. Gavinash Persaud, who is now serving the region as its
Regional Health Officer (RHO). Dr. Persaud who previously served in Region Five in a similar
capacity said that this was one of several purchases that he found to be alarming. He noted that
the use of resources by the former RHO raised several questions. He said that its evident that the
resources were not effectively and efficiently utilized, thus ensuring that the public can
adequately benefit from same.
“These guys bought 50,000 boxes of sugar strips, up to now we don’t know if the sugar strips are
compatible with the machine that we have. If these were sugar strips that we could have use then
ok but imagine these sugar strips being bought for a foreign machine that we can’t use then that’s
out of the place,” the RHO disclosed.
Dr. Persaud said that such purchases must raise eyebrows, declaring that it is evident that persons
‘high up’ including of the REO and pother persons within the health sector may have facilitated
such purchases.
He pointed out that several basic information was lacking from the purchases, noting that there
was no indication as to what type of Glucose strips were being bought and the justification for
why these strips were being bought.
“As a matter of fact, there is no indication on the purchase order as to what brand of strips were
bought. There is nothing to indicate. I have looked at it and have instructed the stores that if
anything comes in for health, let health see what it is especially,” the RHO argued
The RHO said that while the purchases were made by the RHO, he firmly believes that the
Regional Executive Officer among others should also give an account for these actions and or
inactions.
“We had a situation where who was nice with you got and who wasn’t nice with you that is your
bad. They made some very unnecessary purchases for drugs and suppose. I mean a lot of things
were bought but because they had an internal help from the level of the REO and Regional
Tender Board and perhaps even higher up a lot of staff that they bought,”
The Regional Health Officer also pointed to instances where several doctors were on call for an
entire month, an unheard situation in the medical fraternity.
This, he stressed have revealed that the resources were not properly executed, thus resulting in
several challenges and difficulties.  He said that as the new RHO he is seeking to ensure that the
resources can be properly accounted and executed.

“There has no specific complaints made with regards to the previous RHO but just that many
pointed out about the precedents that he had established. They used to be paying out a lot of
money for people to work,” Dr. Persaud said.
He added, “Some staff and doctors were on call for 31 days and will get a lot of money per
month, while this isn’t a complain, it certainly raised eyebrows as to how it was done.”
A source at the RDC revealed that the health department officials were on a spending spree
purchasing millions of dollars’ worth of supplies that were not essential and or needed at the
time. The source said that several of the purchases were facilitated by the Regional Procurement
Officer, Corwin Grandison.