$1.37m MRI machine procurement at Ayub Teaching Hospital becomes mystery

PESHAWAR: The procurement of a $1,375,000 MRI machine at Ayub Teaching Hospital (ATH) in Abbottabad is mired in controversy.

The purchase of the new MRI machine or the trade-off of old unit was carried out in blatant violation of procurement rules. The acquisition was made without issuing a tender, directly contravening KPPRRA regulations and raising serious concerns about transparency and compliance. In either case, no tender was issued for the new machine nor was the old machine auctioned as required.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly’s Standing Committee on Health has taken a serious notice of misleading statements made by ATH officials regarding the purchase or trade-off. Initially, the committee was informed that a new machine had been purchased. However, in a subsequent subcommittee meeting, the officials contradicted their earlier statement, claiming instead that the existing machine had been upgraded. Despite directives to present relevant documents, the officials failed to provide any supporting evidence or proof of their claims.

Chairman of the Health Standing Committee Mushtaq Ghani told this correspondent, “They are attempting to mislead us by shifting their stance. Whether it was a purchase, replacement, or upgrade, the management has violated the prescribed procedures.”

A crucial meeting has been scheduled for Saturday at Ayub Teaching Hospital to investigate the matter further. Officials will be required to present documentary evidence and clarify their conflicting statements. The committee remains committed to ensuring accountability and transparency in the hospital’s procurement process.

In January 2025, reports emerged alleging that the MRI machine had been stolen from the hospital premises. However, the hospital administration refuted these claims, stating that the machine, weighing approximately 5,500kg, could not have been removed unnoticed.

The administration further clarified that the original MRI machine’s magnet had failed five years earlier. Instead of replacing it for $1 million, the hospital opted for an upgrade in 2018, costing $1.375 million. This upgrade included the latest software and hardware, along with a three-year warranty for the entire machine and a five-year warranty for the magnet. The entire mysterious process was completed in 2021.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (KPPRA) Rules, 2014, establish clear guidelines for the procurement of goods, works, and services by public entities. Regarding the replacement of old machinery, the rules emphasize key principles to ensure transparency, efficiency and fair competition.

The Rule 14 mandates that procurements exceeding Rs100,000 must be conducted through open competitive bidding, ensuring transparency and equal opportunity for all potential suppliers. Rule 30 requires procuring entities to plan purchases with due consideration for transparency, economy, and efficiency, ensuring equal opportunities for all bidders.

Furthermore, in standard practice, the disposal of old machinery follows a structured process. The machinery is evaluated for obsolescence or surplus status and officially declared as such. An evaluation committee determines the machinery’s reserve price based on market value and condition. The auction is publicly advertised to ensure open competition. Bids are collected, and the machinery is sold to the highest responsive bidder.