Pissamorn denies political influence directs her role at GPO
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Following complaints over her appointment as acting managing director of the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO), Pissamorn Klinsuwan strongly denied that she was a political "puppet" and had no plans to privatise the state drug maker.
“I do not belong to anyone. We have to follow the policy of those in charge, but we still have to comply with the laws and regulations governing the organisation,” she said.
“I am ready to go anytime, as I only have four months left until my full retirement. I would be quite happy if there was someone to replace me, because now I have to work hard and often don’t finish before midnight as there are many documents I have to read and sign for approval,” she said.
Pissamorn said she always opposed the former managing director Dr Witit Artavatkun whenever he did not follow regulations.
“I always let him know my feelings on the right or wrong way to proceed and I never betrayed anyone’s trust in such matters,” she said in an interview last week.
Since taking on the role two weeks ago as the GPO’s designated acting managing director, she has been heavily criticised by GPO employees loyal to Witit, who believe political influence is dictating her actions.
Pissamorn is well aware of the criticism and admitted it would be tough to get people to believe her point of view.
“First of all, one must accept there will always be people that love you and those that hate you. We cannot stop another person from believing in someone else. But the most important thing is to carry out one’s duties to the best of one’s abilities – and that the organisation is run effectively,” she said.
“I have been working at the GPO for more than 37 years and everyone knows that no one can control me. I am very strict when I work with my colleagues,” she added.
With only four months left until her retirement, Pissamorn says she plans to resolve at least six serious problems currently facing the GPO.
First, she will seek a resolution with the private company over the tainted raw materials that were imported to produce paracetamol. She will request that the company take back the consignment and provide the GPO with a new consignment to produce the drug.
“It will be impossible for the GPO to get compensation because the GPO initially accepted the consignment of material as being up to standard. I will try to find the best solution to resolve this problem,” she said.
Secondly, she will try to find a way to deal with the stockpile of the nearly expired heart-disease drug, which was imported two years ago, but was never distributed.
“The company told us that it would provide a new consignment of the drug if the quality of the nearly expired consignment is still okay. Then we will negotiate with the National Health Security Office to purchase this drug or distribute it to the market,” she said.
Thirdly, Pissamorn said the GPO had negotiated with the Disease Control Department to buy up the stockpile of 300 million Oseltamivir anti-flu viruses before the drug expired.
As for the construction of the flu vaccine plant, Pissamorn said the GPO might cancel the contract if the company responsible for its construction was found to be in violation. The GPO has already cancelled the contract with the company hired to build the HIV/Aids drugs plant, she added.
Next on her list would be the launching of the mass-production drug plant, which is now being tested and is expected to start producing drugs in the next two months.
Lastly is the problem of the stockpiled saline solution, which was imported during the massive floods in 2011. The GPO will ask the Public Health Ministry to instruct its hospitals to buy up the remaining saline in the stockpile, she said.
Instead of criticising others, Pisssamorn said GPO staff should help each other get through this difficult period and look at how they can help improve the GPO’s operations.
“Sometimes it’s important to admit that one has made the wrong choices, because of one’s lack of knowledge over the purchase and procurement regulations,” she said.
