Dec 31 , 2015
News
Audit finds Rs6.85 billion irregularities in Sindh Health Department
By Imdad SoomroHealth official terms audit objections wrong
KARACHI: Auditor General of Pakistan finds financial misappropriation of Rs6.85 billion in Sindh Health department in one financial year.Sindh Health Department received total budget of Rs56.07 billion and 39.50 million as supplementary grant.
Audit report concluded that the department failed to achieve its major goals. Due to poor performance and negligence over 300 children died only in one district of the province Thar. Chronic diseases like Tuberculosis, Hepatitis and others were not controlled through special programs.
According to the Audit Report 2014-15 of Auditor General of Pakistan available with ‘The News’ Sindh Health Department’s financial misappropriation, corruption and frauds caused Rs6.85 billion loss to national exchequer.
An expenditure of Rs1.29 billion was incurred on various heads but the auditable record was not produced for scrutiny. Details of expenditures were doubtful payment on purchase of X-Ray films, non-maintenance of consumption of account, non-maintenance of security register, irregular payments of salaries, unauthorized expenditure on repair of machinery and transport and excess expenditure on fuel and others.
An amount of Rs3.42 billion was withdrawn from Accountant General Sindh on abstract bill and transferred to various institutes but detailed adjustment account duly supported with valid vouchers were not obtained before the close of financial year.
Various medicines costing Rs710 million were purchased from various contractors in which several irregularities were noticed by auditors.
The audit report pointed out the loss of Rs88 million as same nature of works were executed on same site at District Headquarters Hospital Shikarpur and Badin by two contractors companies. Rs534 million expenditure was incurred on procurement of various supplies without inviting open tenders. Due to non-invitation of open tenders the government was deprived of economic and competitive rates.
Excess sum of Rs270 million was withdrawn under the head of salary of a lady health worker.Rs100.3 million were withdrawn by the management of Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College Sukkur and Chandka Medical University Larkana; amount paid to various contractors for works on non-scheduled items without obtaining approval and sanction of competent authority.
Mobilisation advance of Rs74.96 million was paid by management of Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College Sukkur and Additional Secretary Health for construction of academic block and establishment of allied facilities for Jacobabad Institute of Medical Sciences Jacobabad.
Unauthorised payment of Rs62 million issued to Principals of Paramedical and Health Technician School Sukkur, Jamshoro, Directors of Institute of Chest Diseases, Kotri and Drug Testing Laboratory Karachi, Police Surgeon, Karachi, Taluka Health Officer, Tando Bago, Golarchi, Tlahar of district Badin.
During the construction work of Ghulam Muhammad Medical College, Sukkur, violating the SPPRA rules, services of M/s Zaheer-ud-din were hired without open competition and Rs19.20 million paid to the firm. Rs305.70 million were not deposited in treasury by officers of health department, Rs279.55 million were not recovered by contractors.
Rs18.79 million were paid to contingent staff hired irregularly, Rs11.17 million paid in excess to Lady Health Workers, Rs9.36 million paid to consultants without obtaining the progress reports during the construction work of Benazir Institute of Urology and Transplant, Shaheed Benazirabad (Nawabshah).
Despite making repeated attempts this correspondent could not contact Secretary Health Saeed Mangnejo for his version. A junior official of the department, however, on condition of not being named termed the audit objections as wrong. He said auditors raise many objections in routine and most of the paras containing these objections are later settled after the concerned department gives its response. The same is true about expenditures by Sindh Health Department, he said.
Courtesy www.thenews.com.pk