Health officials claim innocence

One of the deals under scrutiny is the purchase of a large number of UV-based germ-killing devices. Former permanent secretary Dr Siriphorn Kanchana released a 100-page report to an investi?gation panel saying that it was she who had made a change to the wording from "all provincial public health offices" to buy a total of 800 machines, to "any willing provincial public health office" to buy the machines.

Siriphorn said that as the acting permanent secretary since early this year until September, she had played mostly an advisory role in the process. She said she had proposed setting up four committees to oversee the process and watch out for pos?sible corruption. Her propos?al was dated August 17, but it was not signed before she retired in September.

Dr Suchart Laohabariphat, director of the ministry's Bureau of Provincial Health Administration (BPHA), said she had ordered that the device be taken out of a purchase policy. A Bt86-billion budget for the entire policy package was not available, as a government request for a parliamentary approval was not even ratified by Parliament, before her retirement, she added.

The ministry is looking for evidence who at the ministry leadership level issued an order a few months ago telling all provincial public health offices to buy 800 pieces of the devices, at an inflated unit price of Bt40,000. A copy of this order was sent to the provincial office in Songkhla, where members of the Rural Doctor Society brought up the issue.

Suchart refused to comment on Siriphorn's report, saying he did not recall her order changing the wording: "I don't recall it."

Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai said he had never seen an order signed by Suchart that the device was taken out of the list. Witthaya said he would not intervene in the ongoing investigation process by the panel and would rather wait for the final report.

Dr Wichai Chokewiwat, a member of the investigation panel, said two senior doctors had testified before his panel yes?terday, and that Witthaya and his deputy Manit Nopamornbodi would also be called for their testimony in the near future.