Minister bans recruitment, purchases at Nowshera hospital

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Minister Syed Qasim Ali Shah has imposed a ban on all types of recruitment and the purchase of equipment at the Qazi Hussain Ahmad Medical Complex in Nowshera district.

The decision comes after the government discovered that hundreds of people had been recruited recently without obtaining prior permission from the relevant authorities. Furthermore, it was found that the majority of these recruits were close relatives of individuals holding executive positions within the hospital and medical college or former members of the Board of Governors (BoG).

Additionally, the procurement of various equipment over the past few years has been conducted without any actual need for these items, leading to significant liabilities for the hospital pharmacy, amounting to several millions of rupees.

The Health Department issued a notification stating: “The Minister for Health has been pleased to impose a ban on all kinds of recruitments and the purchase of equipment except for the procurement of emergency medicines necessary for the immediate and urgent care of patients. All ongoing recruitment processes must be immediately halted. Any exceptions require prior written approval from the minister of health.” The notification further directed the relevant authorities to take the necessary actions in accordance with this directive and to keep the department informed of their compliance.