Under scanner: Senators grill CADD over hospital mismanagement
Pims says does not have team, funds to operate liver transplant machine
Pims says does not have team, funds to operate liver transplant machine. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Senators on Tuesday questioned the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) for alleged availability of spurious drugs and unhygienic conditions at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims).
Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat Chairperson Talha Mehmood faulted the Pims administration for the unclean environment in and outside the hospital. “[Pims and Polyclinic)] are in poor shape, while the doctors are running private clinics and making millions,” said Mehmood.
He suggested that the Federal Board of Revenue investigate government doctors running private clinics.
CADD officials told the committee that a summary on Polyclinic’s expansion is awaiting approval from the prime minister. Senators Kamil Ali Agha and Kalsoom Perveen said bureaucracy had been delaying the expansion project for several years.
Pims Administrator Dr Altaf said the liver transplant machine at the hospital was non-functional due to lack of funds and trained officials. “The doctors who used to run the plant have retired. We invited applications thrice, but nobody applied,” Altaf said.
The committee chair said there were reports of corruption in the acquisition of machinery and directed that the case be forwarded to the Federal Investigation Agency.
“Nurses at public hospitals do not know how to give an injection. It seems they also have ‘Axact degrees’,” quipped Senator Saifullah Khan Bangash.
The committee was told that two area education officers from the Federal Directorate of Education were transferred after they ‘recruited’ several ghost employees. The chairman also forwarded this case to the FIA.
Mehmood also recommended that the curriculum wing be shifted back from CADD control to the federal education ministry.
To a question on security for schools and colleges, CADD Secretary Khalid Hanif said Rs180 million had been released for PWD to build boundary walls at four schools.
National Library of Pakistan (NLP) Director General Chaudhry Muhammad Nazir briefed the committee about the affairs of the library, which he said had 300,000 books. Nazir said NLP had signed an MoU with the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to establish six libraries in Islamabad, but the civic agency was not implementing the agreement.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 24th, 2015.
Senators on Tuesday questioned the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) for alleged availability of spurious drugs and unhygienic conditions at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims).
Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat Chairperson Talha Mehmood faulted the Pims administration for the unclean environment in and outside the hospital. “[Pims and Polyclinic)] are in poor shape, while the doctors are running private clinics and making millions,” said Mehmood.
He suggested that the Federal Board of Revenue investigate government doctors running private clinics.
CADD officials told the committee that a summary on Polyclinic’s expansion is awaiting approval from the prime minister. Senators Kamil Ali Agha and Kalsoom Perveen said bureaucracy had been delaying the expansion project for several years.
Pims Administrator Dr Altaf said the liver transplant machine at the hospital was non-functional due to lack of funds and trained officials. “The doctors who used to run the plant have retired. We invited applications thrice, but nobody applied,” Altaf said.
The committee chair said there were reports of corruption in the acquisition of machinery and directed that the case be forwarded to the Federal Investigation Agency.
“Nurses at public hospitals do not know how to give an injection. It seems they also have ‘Axact degrees’,” quipped Senator Saifullah Khan Bangash.
The committee was told that two area education officers from the Federal Directorate of Education were transferred after they ‘recruited’ several ghost employees. The chairman also forwarded this case to the FIA.
Mehmood also recommended that the curriculum wing be shifted back from CADD control to the federal education ministry.
To a question on security for schools and colleges, CADD Secretary Khalid Hanif said Rs180 million had been released for PWD to build boundary walls at four schools.
National Library of Pakistan (NLP) Director General Chaudhry Muhammad Nazir briefed the committee about the affairs of the library, which he said had 300,000 books. Nazir said NLP had signed an MoU with the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to establish six libraries in Islamabad, but the civic agency was not implementing the agreement.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 24th, 2015.