This Sunday, INEM guaranteed that it will “ensure the continuity of the emergency medical helicopter service through a new contract concluded with the current operator, within the amount approved by the previous government in October 2023.”
In a clarification also sent to Lusa, the Ministry of Health stated that INEM could launch a public tender for air transport services for patients based on the 2023 Council of Ministers decree, avoiding the extension of the direct contract.
In a statement issued late on Sunday, the National Institute of Emergency Medicine (INEM) said that “it will ensure the continuity of the helicopter emergency medical service through a new contract awarded to the current operator, within the allowed cost set by the previous government in October 2023 (RCM – Council of Ministers Decree No. 133/2023 of October 25) and with a device consisting of four aircraft, two medium aircraft operating 24 hours and two light aircraft operating 12 hours, according to a service that is provided from January 1 2024.”
INEM also reports that the public tender for the leasing of aviation assets and the acquisition of services for the operation, continued airworthiness management and maintenance of aircraft “was effectively launched in January 2024 by the SPMS – Joint Services of the Ministry of Health (as provided in with reference to the RCM) , and received proposals from two companies, both of which were worth significantly more than the basic tender price of 12 million euros/year.”
In this regard, “INEM began in April 2024 the procedures for launching a new international public tender, presenting to the trusteeship consistent and persistent proposals for a new RCM, always emphasizing the urgency and the need for rapid decision-making.” . solution”.
Moreover, he adds, “it would not make sense to announce a new government tender on conditions identical to the previous one, and which were the conditions sanctioned by the previous government,” given that “these conditions have already shown that they do not meet market requirements, as also This is evidenced by several consultations carried out by the Institute with various operators and brought to the attention of the guardianship authorities.”
INEM recalls that the contract, which expires this Sunday, “was concluded with the only operator that was available to provide the service, but without the possibility of guaranteeing a device with four aircraft operating 24 hours a day.”
Given the constraints that have arisen, “it is necessary to reduce the operating hours of two of the four helicopters providing emergency medical services from the beginning of 2024,” he continues, adding that “the direct contract was approved by the Audit Office in May 2024.”
Now, “in the absence of any response from the authorities that would allow a new international public tender to be announced, the only alternative to not awarding a new contract by direct award would be for the country to stop relying on this service, which would be unacceptable.”
Moreover, “INEM has never been consulted about the possibility of Armed Forces intervention in helicopter transport in the event of a medical emergency, so it remains unsure how or if such input can be achieved,” the organization states.
“Within the current situation and the powers of the INEM Board of Directors, the Institute has done and will continue to do everything to always protect the public interest and guarantee the continuity of the helicopter ambulance service in the best possible conditions,” he concludes.
“From April 2 until this Sunday, INEM has not announced any international public tender for the acquisition of the services in question. We do not understand the reasons,” the Ministry of Health said in a clarification sent to Lusa.
Also according to the Ministry of Health, the government asked the INEM board of directors several times about the emergency helicopter transport service, knowing that the direct agreement in force expired on June 30, but the institute “never submitted a solution” within the RCM October 2023, which authorizes the costs associated with the launch of a new public tender for the period 2024-2028.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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