RAWALPINDI: An inquiry conducted into the mismanagement at the Benazir Bhutto Hospital recommended the installation of an HVAC [eat, ventilation and air-conditioning system] system after it emerged that only 145 air-conditioners out of 329 units –most of them installed in rooms of doctors and administration – in the hospital were functional.

The initial report of the committee constituted on the directives of Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi and led by Deputy Commissioner Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema pointed towards the absence of doctors, non-functional air-conditioners at the emergency ward, overcharging at the parking stand, poor cleanliness in washrooms, and bad odour in wards in addition to missing facilities for the patients and attendants at the hospital.

The report revealed that non-functional air conditioners could be attributed to the fact that they were installed in 2016, having been repaired multiple times, and in constant use during the peak season.

Out of 329 air-conditioners, only 145 were found to be functional. About washrooms, the report said due to the maintenance and repair work in the old emergency block (both ground and first floor) the majority of the load was being shifted to six washrooms. “The load of 24 washrooms is now being borne by six washrooms.”

Inquiry report points out gross mismanagement, suggests regular evaluation of admin’s performance to address shortcomings

The report said that the record of recruitment of janitorial staff for the year 2022-23 was not shown. It added that the deputy medical superintendent placed on evening and night shifts in the emergency were doctors who are working on an ad-hoc basis and had no administrative skills or experience.

About overcharging at the parking stand operated by a private firm against whom various complaints by the hospital staff and some by the general public had been received, more than Rs90,000 in fine had been imposed. The contract was awarded in 2020-21 in violation of the Punjab auction rules 2016. The report added that the applications of other bidders seemed to be written by the same person.

Recommendations

According to recommendations put forth by the report, there was a need for an improved cooling system, including the installation of an electricity-based HVAC system that should be run along with existing air-conditioning systems to balance the load. It also suggested the management replace or repair the non-functional air-conditioners in a timely manner to provide a comfortable environment for patients and staff.

“Conduct a thorough investigation into the parking stand and take appropriate action against the private operating firm for overcharging and irregularities in the parking contract,” it said while asking the hospital to ensure compliance with auction rules and proper record-keeping in the bidding process for parking services. It further asked the management to review the performance of the parking contractor and take necessary action based on the series of complaints regarding overcharging. It recommended improving the cleanliness of washrooms and addressing the issue of bad odour in the wards by allocating sufficient resources and hiring an adequate number of janitorial staff.

“Outsourcing of various services should be considered on a broader level to centralised firms for provision of janitorial, security, parking and maintenance services,” the report said, adding that proper records of the hiring of janitorial staff should be maintained to ensure transparency and accountability.

It called for engaging properly trained and experienced doctors that are already available with the hospital as DMS for better performance. It suggested regular monitoring and evaluation of the performance of the hospital administration to address any issues or shortcomings promptly.

When contacted, Director of Health Rawalpindi Region Dr Anser Ishaq, who is also a member of the committee, said that there were 329 air-conditioners installed in the hospital but only 145 were functional, which were mostly installed in the administration and doctors’ rooms. “The air-conditioners in the emergency department are still out of order,” he said.

BBH Medical Superintendent Dr Tahir Rizvi refuted the claim and said the finding was not shared with him. However, he said that there was no truth in the fact that only 145 ACs were functional.

He said that there were problems in emergency wards as the cooling was not being properly maintained so the committee asked the administration to install a new heat, ventilation and air-conditioning system to maintain the cooling system.

Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2023