Daily Times

KARACHI: The Kulsoombai Valika Hospital, a place meant to provide healthcare facilities to poor mainly belonging to labour class, has become the place of what the sources opined ‘place for corruption’ as more than Rs 300 million were embezzled in just two years starting from January 2014, said sources.

A group of hospital employees headed by former Kulsum Bai Valika Social Security Hospital medical superintendent Dr Aslam Pervaiz has been alleged for the said corruption. According to insiders, the management of the hospital used to receive millions of rupees for the purchase of surgical items, pathological items, equipment, laboratory items, medicines through local purchase and tenders and dietary items for patients from January 2014 till date.

However, the medicines were purchased from local companies and shopkeepers for outdoor and indoor patients on quotation/indents without inviting tenders and observing codal formalities. Besides, the funds under the head of maintenance of hospital building, machinery and equipment have also been misappropriated.

Dr Aslam Pervaiz Memon received Rs 519 million for the year 2013-2014 and Rs 490 million for 2014-15. respectively, Interestingly, the MS of the hospital utilised Rs 999 million during his posting period on different heads viz purchase of medicine, water supply, utility bills, diet, salaries of staff and late sitting etc, sources added.

The sources, while quoting the investigators, said that the hospital record shows purchase of medicines at Rs 36 million, however, Dr Aslam Pervaiz Memon showed purchase of medicine at a cost of Rs 101 million. Interestingly, Rs seven million has been charged on account of diet charges. However, the dietician of the hospital says raw material of Rs 3.3 million was received from Bukhari Group of Companies.

“The vouchers pertains to consumption of medicines, utility bills, diet charges and late sitting are missing that accounts to a total of Rs 214 million. No water has been purchased through water tankers, however, an expenditure of Rs 5.5 million has been shown by MS of the hospital”, sources concluded.

Repeated efforts were made to contact Sindh Labour Minister Asghar Junejo for his comments, however his cell phone remained unattended.