Health authority hamstrung by economic woes

RAWALPINDI:

The District Health Authority (DHA) is facing the worst financial crisis nowadays, leaving field operations including the anti-dengue campaign in a compromising state of affairs. Due to the arrears of Rs20 million, the petrol pump has refused to supply petrol to the DHA vehicles. The Authority also owe Rs15m arrears to multiple vendors who have suspended the supply of essential goods.

As the DHA authorities have declared the budget insufficient, the Rawalpindi deputy commissioner constituted a committee to review the financial matters.

DHA conducts awareness campaigns and preventive measures against dengue, polio and other diseases besides running all tehsil headquarters hospitals, primary health centres, rural health centres and dispensaries in the district.

The DHA administration has not been able to pay its scheduled petrol pump arrears of Rs20m after which the pump has stopped supplying petrol to the official vehicles of all officers except the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). DHA officers are now forced to pay for petrol from their own pockets.

The bills of the anti-dengue campaign are also not being paid.

In this situation, the three responsible officers of the Authority, DDHO Rawal Town Dr Hussain Shah Tirmizi, DDHO Cantt Dr Naveed Qasim and DHOPS Dr Ehsan Ghani met with DC Waqar Hasan Cheema and apprised him of the situation.

The DC has formed a committee consisting of ADD Headquarters Dr Zanira and ADC Finance Ramsha Awan.

Furthermore, the misuse of govt vehicles has also been revealed in DHA.

When contacted, DHA CEO Dr Ijaz Ahmed Gallo said the Authority faces an insufficient budget as Rs10m monthly funds are inadequate.