RAWALPINDI: The District Health Authority (DHA) recommended an inquiry against its former chief executive officer and purchase district health officer after irregularities worth Rs274.4 million were detected by the Departmental Accounts Committee in the authority’s accounts during the fiscal year 2021-22.

On the directions of the provincial audit department, the primary and secondary health secretary was asked to fix the responsibility within 30 days so that the facts could be ascertained and shared with the audit committee.

The meeting of DAC was held on Dec 7-8 while the DHA CEO wrote the letter to the provincial healthcare department on Dec 30.

According to the audit department, a contract was awarded at higher rates for the provision of Foley’s catheter and urine bags to the second highest bidder, as the firm who had won the bidding was blacklisted by a hospital in Swat. This caused a loss of over Rs2m to the exchequer.

Audit committee points out violation of PPRA rules, irregular expenditure

The audit team also raised objections that Viral Transport Medium (VTM) was procured in two phases to circumvent the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules. It added the purchase was made without obtaining an NOC from the National Disaster Management Authority.

The health authority spent Rs27.890 million in the first phase and Rs15.216 million in the second phase of the VTM purchase. The DAC objected to the procurement of VTM without a tender from March 11, 2021, to June 25, 2021. The retail price was also not mentioned, the audit body added.

The department replied that the primary and secondary health departments also procured VTM, but since the demand could not be met, more VTMs were purchased through quotations. The audit committee noted that no evidence was produced to corroborate the aforementioned claim.

Irregular expenditure

It said that irregular expenditure in the purchase of Covid-19 items while bypassing the PPRA rules caused a loss of over Rs140m. The audit also objected that the health authority procured different items and medicines which caused damages to the tune of Rs4.882 million. The authority faced a loss of Rs21.199m due to violations of PPRA rules in procurement.

The health authority purchased medicines and other healthcare items for tehsil headquarters hospitals and rural health centres even though the district health officer was not authorised to purchase anything for tehsil hospitals without directions from the provincial government.

The audit committee further pointed out the unauthorised utilisation of a grant, received for bulk medicines, to the tune of Rs109.780 million. The health department responded that during FY 2021-22, an amount of Rs3.549 billion was received to cover salary expenditures, but the bill increased during Covid-19 to Rs3.788 billion, and the grant was used to plug the gap after the permission of the Punjab government.

The audit team, however, asked the health authority to regularise the expenditure.

According to the audit committee, unauthorised appointments against the prescribed quota caused a loss to the tune of Rs2.066 million. The health authority informed the audit team that a total of 16 women were hired in the health authority. However, the audit team objected that the merit list was not maintained during the recruitment process.

According to rules, the authority had to hire services of candidates in accordance with gender, minority and disability. Furthermore, it added that at least 179 candidates were found absent from the interview.

The department did not send call letters to 179 candidates and neither did it contact them on their phone number.

The audit team objected that the health authority appointed daily wage workers flouting rules. The first advertisement was made on February 19, 2020 while daily wage worker exemption was granted by the deputy commissioner on June 26, 2020 due to health emergencies in light of Covid-19.

Published in Dawn, january 4th, 2023