Millions of rupees embezzled by AKHSC Govt treasury given loss of huge amount

Millions of rupees embezzled by AKHSC Govt treasury given loss of huge amount

So far, the government treasury has given crores of rupees for filling up the vacant posts of doctors and medicines in these hospitals, but no action was taken so far.

CHITRAL (Report Gul Hamad Farooqui): The Agha Khan Health Service Chitral (AKHSP), a non-governmental organisation, were handed over three government hospitals by the provincial government. Under the Public Private Partnership, RHS Shagram, RHS Mastuj and Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Garamchishma, the first rural health center, Shah Gram, was probably handed over in 2005. In this hospital, eleven staff (doctors, nurses, dispensers, paramedics, etc.) are staffed by the Department of Health. Salaries are paid from public treasury to Doctors, nurses, dispensers, paramedics, etc. There are eleven staff members who are paid salaries from the state treasury.

According to the certified documents obtained by the District Health Officer Chitral office, the doctors, nurses, etc., who are currently in their hospitals, have been giving their montyuly salaries as well as the Govt release AKHS huge amount for fulfilling of vacant posts of Doctors and other staff and also providing free medicines for public, along with laboratory tools, X-ray equipment, repair etc. In the year 2010 to 2018, the budget for the month of June has been given to AKHSP Rs 30784144.

Subsequently, the RHC Mastuj was also given to the same NGO where there are 19 staff appointed by the government they are paying by government, however, the health department has released . Rs 13180329 for the month of June AKHSP for the year 2014 to 2018 to meet the shortage of doctors, nurses, paramedics staff and provide free medicines to be onward distributing among the poor patients but these free medicines were also soled to patients illegally. 

After that, the third hospital of Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, Garam Chashma, was also handed over to AKHSP. Whereas 47 staff working from the government side including doctors, nurses etc. while AKHSP has only 23 staff.

The District Government has given Rs. 34592472 from the state exchequer for free treatment, free medicines, laboratory tests, X-rays etc and to fulfil vacant posts of doctors . for this hospital, which is a budget only from 2013 to 2018. For this, a formal agreement between the government and the AKHSP has been signed on Memorandum of Understanding. But it has been revealed about AKHSP that the agreement is in full swing and AKHSP violate the MoU. A Mali posted at the THQ Hospital told our correspondent that there is no exception , concession with the poor patients or with the staff. My wife got sick and they got Rs 36,000 for treatment from me.

The OPD Chit is available at Govt hospitals for Rs. 10 but the same fee is Rs. 170 and Specialist Doctor Chit for Rs. 280 by AKHS in these 3 hospitals. Free medicine which is available from the government. AKHSP sells these medicines to poor patients. They do not give free medicines to anyone, even film and equipment for X-rays issuing them free of cost by health department but they are also charged heavy fee for them. The fees for their lab tests, X-rays, ultrasound etc. range from Rs.200 to 500.

A doctor at the same hospital revealed that he was pressurized by the AKHSP that patients should be referred for laboratory tests, X-rays and ultrasounds so that they could receive more money from patients and that doctors would also be given 20% commission.in that fund.

The Deputy Commissioner, District Health Officer, Secretary Health, DG Health, etc. have signed the MoU and a Health Committee will be constituted which will determine the fees in these hospitals, but there is a serious breach of this agreement. Most of the government hospitals under the supervision of Aga Khan Health Service over charging from poor patients and they use Govt building, residential quarters free of cost without paying any rent to Govt. 

Islamuddin, a former senior bureaucrat, who was the chairman of the Health Committee of the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, Garam Chashma, told our correspondent that I belong to this community myself but when I saw that AKHSP violate MoU they sell free medicines of Govt to public and did not provide any relief to poor patients I resigned from my position as a protest.

Talked to the nurses working in the hospital, they also said that there is no doctor in the laboratory etc. and only the technician is employed.

A former councilor in the area said that the fees are taken very high here. If the fees are reduced then it will be better for the people.

The hospital's medical In-charge said that I get free samples of medicines from my friends (doctors in Govt hospitals) and distribute it to poor patients in hospital because there is no police to provide free medicine to anyone

Even our correspondent was present at RHC Mastuj where a young girl was died in road mishap and two others injured badly but AKHSP staff charges fee from them in emergency and no cover free emergency. . 

Former Nazim Abdul Qayyum of the area said that AKHSP harassing people of the area oppressing the people although free medicines are available from Govt at this hospital but they are so cruel that they also sell these free medicines to the patients. He says that I have written complaints to Chief Secretary KP Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Prime Minister, Secretary Health, Director General Health, Deputy Commissioner, District Health Officer, etc., but all are useless. There are so many influential that the district administration is helpless in front of them and no action can be taken against them.

A few hostesses told our correspondent that the top officers of AKHSP oblige the high ups of health department and provincial government and they took them in a white helicopter of Aga Khan the Secretary Health, the Chief Secretary and other officers and invited them to the big hotels and cheered them that is why they sneeze and take no action against them.

In this regard, our representative contacted the former four District Health Officers to know actual position. So these DHOs said that they were helpless when there was a slight delay in funding to the AKHSP, then there was a call from Secretary health, DG Health or chief secretary for them to release this fund to AKHSP immediately.

In this regard, our representative also tried to find out version of AKHSP manager Miraj Khan, but he refused to be interviewed in front of the camera or given any written statement.

However, he verbally told us we were going in losses. But when he was given evidence of the same institution, which had a profit of over Rs 12 lakh in THQ hospital Garamchishma for December 2018, he had no answer. Likewise, it also showed disrespect for the number of government staff.

The hospital has separate funds from Pakistan Bait-ul-Mulk and Zakat department, but did not say anything about it.

In the open forum (Kuli Kachery) of a deputy commissioner once in Mistuj, people complaints against these hospitals, but no complaints were processed. The contract has been ended in December 2018, but the government has yet to send fund the NGO for these hospitals. Funds of crores of rupees are given to them.

political and social circle of Chitral has demanded from the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court, Prime Minister Pakistan, Chairman NAB, Chief Minister KPK to investigate an inquiry by a neutral committee in this regard against AKHSP that how many fund was given to them for free medicines and against the vacant posts of doctors and other staff but they never refund (returned) these fund to Govt despite that they never appointed staff against vacant posts. 

Govt buildings including family quarters, equipment’s were also used by them but they never paid its rent. As well as they used laboratory, X-Ray, Ultra sound and necessary tools, equipment’s were provided them by health department but they never paid a single piney to DHO despite they were charging triple fees from patients as comparative to govt hospitals. Early recovery of this amount is demanded from AKHSP and cancellation of MoU also demanded by public.