The government on Wednesday approved three variation proposals worth over Tk 50.73 crore for the additional supply of anti-tuberculosis (TB) drugs, GeneXpert diagnostic cartridges and anti-retroviral medicines under the Health Services Division.

The approvals came at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) held at the Cabinet Division conference room with Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury in the chair.

Under one proposal, the committee approved a variation worth Tk 15.51 crore for the additional supply of anti-TB drugs.

As part of the variation, an additional 10.77 million tablets of 4FDC (Anti-TB Drug), equivalent to 20 percent of the original contracted quantity of 53.86 million tablets, will be procured from M/s Renata PLC.

The original contract value of Tk 77.56 crore will increase to Tk 93.07 crore following the approval.

The committee also approved a variation proposal worth Tk 31.70 crore for the procurement of an additional 296,400 GeneXpert cartridges.

The cartridges, widely used for the rapid diagnosis of tuberculosis and other infectious diseases, will be supplied by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

With the variation, the contract value will rise from Tk 158.48 crore to Tk 190.18 crore.

In another decision, the committee approved a variation proposal worth Tk 3.52 crore for the procurement of Anti-Retroviral Drugs.

The variation accounts for 19.99 percent of the original contract value of Tk 17.61 crore. Following the increase, the revised contract value will stand at Tk 21.13 crore.

The contract has been awarded to M/s S. S. Scientific Corporation.