KP NAB saves Rs1.38bn for govt, benefits 200,000 patients every month

PESHAWAR: In an unusual move by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, equipment and machines worth Rs1.38 billion, which had been kept in boxes for many years, were distributed to various hospitals.

The remarkable move has saved around Rs1.38 billion for the provincial government and approximately, 200,000 patients benefit from it every month.

The 1,500 medical equipment included a full body scan, Laryngoscope, Res Peps, AGFA X-Ray Plant 500MA, X-ray machine, OPG Machine, Autoclave 200L, Faster Cold Room, Anesthesia Machine AS, Bronchoscopes with Light Source, Sigmoid scope Fiberoptic, ENT Examination Unit, Echo Cardiology, Endoscopy Gastro Duodenal, Endoscopy System, Cervical Traction Unit, Matron traction unit, Microscope (Olympus), Cystoscop Olympus Japan, Tissue Flections Processor, Anesthesia Ventilator, Ultrasound Machine, and other important machines. Owing to the negligence of the health department officers, the goods had been lying in the stores for some years.

An official of NAB KP told this correspondent that in the light of the vision of NAB Chairman Nazir Ahmed Butt, NAB Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has focused on enforcement as well as governance. The best results of this new strategy are coming out. Several billions of rupees have been saved. Under the new strategy adopted by the KP NAB DG Waqar Chohan, the improvement in governance is being worked on by increasing the links between NAB and the provincial departments.

“The case of the health department is also a successful example of NAB’s new strategy. During the inquiry, a case of more than 1,500 unused medical equipment, which had been lying in boxes for many years and were deteriorating, came to light”, the official said.

NAB held a meeting with the Health Secretary and asked to send all the supplies to other hospitals where the equipment was required. The health department provided the equipment to different hospitals.

Similarly, on the recommendations of NAB, the health department has also started implementing reforms such as scanning of medicines in hospitals, registration of ID card numbers for distribution of free medicines, and deployment of health staff in hospitals according to the rationalisation policy. Better provision of facilities will have far-reaching results.