Quetta, Nov 3 (NationPress) The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Balochistan Assembly has criticized the provincial Health Department for its ongoing inability to comply with directives regarding significant financial mismanagement, unauthorized procurement, and absent medical supplies at Sandeman Provincial Hospital in Quetta, as reported by local media on Monday.

The committee, chaired by PAC Chairman Asghar Ali Tareen, scrutinized a special audit of Sandeman Provincial Hospital along with several audit observations concerning the Health Department, according to Dawn, a leading daily in Pakistan. Major findings included the unlawful acquisition of medicines valued at PKR 30.02 million, missing pharmaceuticals worth PKR 22.83 million, and overpriced oxygen cylinders that incurred a loss of PKR 1.34 million.

The audit indicated that the official records lacked essential stock registers and inspection reports. The Health Department claimed that Health Tech Quetta was a licensed distributor for Frontier Dactrol Ltd Peshawar and managed the supply and payment processes. However, the committee found their explanation inadequate.

The PAC chairman remarked, "Eight months have elapsed since directives were issued by the PAC, yet there has been no progress." Tareen emphasized the need for accountability, stating, "Those responsible must be identified, and failure to comply should lead to an FIR and a report to the committee."

The committee has resolved that any officer failing to produce the necessary records would be dismissed from their position. Committee member Safia Bibi insisted on the importance of addressing the PAC's inquiries, while Haji Wali Muhammad Noorzai cautioned that non-compliance would result in recommendations for disciplinary actions.

Noorzai highlighted violations of the Balochistan Public Procurement Rules and expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of progress after eight months. The committee mandated a comparative analysis of the prices from the relevant companies, warning of stringent actions should any discrepancies arise.

The audit report further indicated that medicines worth PKR 22.83 million vanished from the Civil Hospital Quetta’s inventory during the 2019-20 fiscal year. Investigations uncovered that a former pharmacist failed to make record entries due to health issues, leading to significant data inconsistencies. Despite numerous orders, the pharmacist has yet to provide the complete record, raising concerns among committee members, as reported by Dawn.

The PAC directed the Health Secretary to commence a formal inquiry within a week and take disciplinary measures against negligent officials. During the COVID-19 pandemic, oxygen cylinders were procured at PKR 40,000 each, despite the contract rate being PKR 537, leading to a government loss of PKR 1.34 million. Moreover, all quotations were written in identical handwriting, raising further alarms about transparency and potential collusion.