VGH avoids questions about handing hospital procurement to private firm

Medical firms hoping to win supply contracts with the private company tasked with running three public hospitals are being asked to submit their bids to a competitor. A number of medical suppliers told this paper they had been put in a very awkward position, after Vitals Global Healthcare (VGH) informed them that all procurement would be run through Technoline, which is a competing firm in the medical supplies industry. The Sunday Times of Malta asked VGH if it had some sort of financial interest in Technoline, but instead of answering the question, the company issued a press release announcing the “exclusive contract” under which Technoline would manage the supply chain processes for VGH. Documents at the Malta Financial Services Authority show that Technoline’s shares were recently bought out by Gateway Solution, of which Ivan Vassallo is the sole shareholder and director. Mr Vassallo is listed as the director of three companies set up after 2015, including a company called MMXVI, which lists Brian Tonna’s BT International as one of its shareholders. One medical supplier complained that Technoline would now receive all the confidential information about contract bids. “It is a...