Health panel flags rot at Peshawar hospital

Inquiry at Nahaqi Hospital cites missing funds, bribe demand and breakdown of essential services

PESHAWAR:

Serious administrative lapses and alleged financial corruption have been uncovered at Satellite Hospital Nahaqi, Peshawar, according to an inquiry report prepared on the directives of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly's Standing Committee on Health.

The inquiry was conducted by a committee comprising MPA Rehana Ismail and Ijaz Muhammad, who completed a detailed investigation into the hospital's affairs and submitted their findings to the relevant authorities. The report paints a grim picture of the hospital's condition, highlighting systemic mismanagement, financial discrepancies, and the absence of essential healthcare services.

According to the report, the hospital has been steadily deteriorating due to the lack of basic facilities, forcing a majority of patients to be referred to other hospitals. A review of the hospital's bank statements revealed inconsistencies between recorded income and expenditures. It was found that during his tenure from June 2024 to January 2025, the former Medical Superintendent (MS) failed to deposit the hospital's income into the official bank account. Moreover, no proper record of expenditures made during this period was available.

The report further states that funds were withdrawn through cheques signed by the former Deputy Medical Superintendent (DMS) of Satellite Hospital Nahiqi, yet no evidence exists regarding how these funds were utilized. It was also revealed that the former MS took the hospital's official records with him upon leaving office, further complicating accountability.

In another serious allegation, the report claims that the former MS demanded a bribe of Rs1 million from a company representative.