Penta Hospitals Withdraws from Ambulance Tender Due to Lack of Transparency

Bratislava, 8 August (TASR) - The Penta Hospitals network has decided to withdraw from the selection procedure for operating emergency medical service (EMS) ambulances, citing the non-transparency of the tender as the reason, TASR was informed by Penta Hospitals network spokesperson Tomas Kral on Friday. The decision was made before the evaluation of the tender and before any decisions received from the Health Ministry, he added. "We're doing this because of the non-transparent process of the selection procedure, which has raised many serious and unanswered questions. According to the most recent stance of the Public Procurement Office of the Slovak Republic, it was prepared in contravention of EU regulations," said Radoslav Cuha, general director of Penta Hospitals Slovakia. The company originally applied for a licence to operate 29 ambulance stations, with all the locations in western Slovakia near the network's hospitals, i.e., at Bory Hospital in Bratislava and at hospitals in Galanta, Dunajska Streda and Topolcany, Kral explained. Penta Hospitals stated that, in the future, it will continue to support genuine competition as part of regular public procurement procedures. "We are convinced that there is room in Slovakia for price competition and for operating ambulance services at lower prices than those that have been set. As a consolidation of public finances is currently underway, it would be appropriate for bidders to be able to compete at prices for which they would be willing and able to operate the stations and ambulances, thus saving public funds, while, of course, adhering to strict and predefined quality parameters," said Cuha. The selection procedure concerns the operation of 344 ground ambulance stations and seven helicopter emergency medical service bases. jrg/df/ko