Shavonne Drysdale – Auditor General's Department

Ensuring Value for Money in Public Health Procurement

Shavonne Drysdale — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 20:30:58 +0000

The Government allocated $671 billion to fund public health over the period 2019-20 to 2024-25. During this period, there was steady increase in the annual allocation moving from $76 billion in 2019-20 to $153 billion in 2024-25. Of the $671 billion allocated during this period, $361 billion (54 percent) was directed towards salaries and emoluments for public health professionals. This left $310 billion to address essential requirements such as hospital equipment, supply chain management, and infrastructure development. As such, robust procurement practices were essential to ensure that healthcare facilities were properly equipped and that resources were utilised efficiently.

The audit, conducted as part of a broader initiative titled “Ensuring Value for Money in Public Health Procurement,” evaluated how the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) managed its procurement activities to achieve value for money. It was crucial for UHWI to implement effective procurement procedures that maximised value, minimised waste, and improved efficiency, thereby ensuring that public health procurement resources were used to the greatest effect.

The audit revealed deficiencies in UHWI’s governance, procurement, and contract management processes, including instances of non-compliance with procurement legislation, accompanying regulations, and the Government of Jamaica Handbook of Public Sector Procurement Procedures. If not addressed, these weaknesses could increase the risk of corruption and undermine UHWI’s ability to deliver quality healthcare services. Part 1 of this report outlines the study’s scope, while Parts 2 and 3 focus on procurement needs assessment and planning, as well as the management and execution of procurement activities. The Case Study section presents a series of detailed cases grouped under common issues identified during the audit. Each specific case provides a focused analysis of challenges, discrepancies and areas of concern observed within UHWI’s procurement activities.

Hurricane Melissa Relief Initiative

Shavonne Drysdale — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 15:07:37 +0000

On October 28, 2025, Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 storm causing catastrophic damage on the island, particularly in western parishes. In response, the Government of Jamaica (GoJ) has launched various initiatives including supportjamaica.gov.jm as the central hub for public donations and volunteer registration. Along with expected GoJ budgetary allocation, foreign governments and multilateral agencies have pledged funding and humanitarian aid to Jamaica, including provision of relief supplies.

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) is a statutory body under the Office of the Prime Minister (previously under the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development). ODPEM serves as the secretariat to the National Disaster Risk Management Council (NDRMC) and has overarching responsibility for disaster risk management across Jamaica. Under the Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management Act, ODPEM is mandated to promote and coordinate disaster preparedness and emergency response by developing and implementing integrated management systems nationwide.

The main objective of the real-time audit is to assess the transparency and accountability of resources received and utilised under the Hurricane Melissa Relief Initiative. Specifically, the audit seeks to determine whether internal controls are adequate to prevent any potential fraud, waste and abuse of public resources during disaster response and recovery, by assessing whether; (a) proper IT controls exist over www.supportjamaica.gov.jm website, (b) proper accounting and record keeping of all donations (including funds and supplies) received and distributed to affected individuals by the GoJ, and (c) procurement activities complied with the applicable laws, regulations and guidelines. The audit will be planned and conducted in accordance with the Guidance on Auditing Disaster Management (GUID 5330), issued by the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) along with applicable AuGD’s Audit Manual and Auditing Standards.

We value your relevant comments to our audit which can be communicated by completing the relevant fields on our feedback form or email us at audgen@auditorgeneral.gov.jm. Please note that due to the volume of information received, we may not respond to you directly; however, we thank you in advance for your response.

Auditor General’s Department-Annual Report 2024

Shavonne Drysdale — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 15:53:12 +0000

It is my privilege to present the 2024 Annual Report of the Auditor General’s Department (AuGD), highlighting a year of achievements, transformative initiatives, and strengthened partnerships. This report provides an overview of our organization’s performance, internal governance systems, and the results of our assurance and non-assurance audits. It also reflects on the programmes and initiatives executed during the year that have furthered our mandate of promoting accountability, transparency, and efficiency within Jamaica’s public sector.

The Value and Impact of Our Audits-Auditing remains a cornerstone of good governance and public financial management. The AuGD’s audits are essential in ensuring that public resources are managed responsibly, policies are implemented effectively, and public institutions deliver value to the people of Jamaica. Our work is a catalyst for reform, identifying areas of inefficiency and risk while providing actionable recommendations that drive improvements in operations and decision-making.

In 2024, we commenced audits across critical sectors such as social benefits and housing, procurement, climate change adaptation, emergency management and disaster preparedness, mining, agriculture, and infrastructure. These audits address issues of national significance, ensuring that resources are deployed efficiently and that systems are robust enough to achieve desired outcomes. By November 2024, the Department had commissioned approximately 222 audits, of which 113 were completed with reports or certificates issued, while 109 remain as work in progress.