Traders accuse HFH management of collecting funds from them for gate installation

Rawalpindi
In order to implement security measures in public sector departments and health institutions, the federal and provincial governments provide special funding to the respective managements. However, it has come to the notice of ‘The News’ that one of the allied hospitals in Rawalpindi obtained funds from traders for this purpose which is a clear violation of law.
The drugstore and hotel owners, having set-ups close to the Holy Family Hospital (HFH), Rawalpindi, while talking to this scribe, alleged that the hospital management has collected donations from them on the pretext of adopting security measures to avoid any terrorist act.
On condition of anonymity, they told this scribe that the management of the health institution had no right to collect donations from them.
They alleged that after collecting funds from them, the management purchased a security gate, which has been placed outside a small gate which is situated at the back. The security gate has been placed for convenience of doctors and paramedical staff, as their buildings are situated close to the rear gate. Moreover, on the orders of the higher authorities, the main gate has been closed for entrance of patients on the pretext of security measures, they alleged.
Although the security gate has been purchased and placed at the wrong place, the management till now has not even raised the height of the hospital walls which is otherwise one of the major security measures.
On the other hand, patients are facing hardships in procuring medicines as prescribed by doctors, as they have to walk a long distance from the back gate of the hospital. While drugstores and hotels are based outside the main gate.
The traders have urged the concerned authorities, including in-charge of the allied hospitals for holding an inquiry into the matter as to why funding was collected by the HFH management from outside for security purposes and what is the reason behind closing the main gate. The security gate should be placed at the main gate for convenience of patients, they demanded.
When RMC Principal and Allied Hospitals In-charge Dr. Muhammad Umar was contacted for comments, he said that the funding is allocated by the concerned departments for adopting security measures at health institutions and donations cannot be obtained from outside. When his attention was drawn towards collection of funds from traders by the HFH management, he assured that he would look into the matter. He also assured an inquiry into the issue. He said the main gate would also be opened after discussing the matter with the medical superintendent of the hospital.
Executive District Officer (Health) Rawalpindi District Khalid Randhawa informed that the government makes funding to its departments and health institutions for adopting security measures. Funds could not be collected from traders for this purpose, he stated.
HFH Medical Superintendent (MS) Dr. Arshad Ali Sabir, while reacting to the allegations made by drugstore and hotel owners, termed them baseless. Defending the HFH management, he said that for procuring security gate, funds were not collected from traders as they had claimed. Moreover, the main gate has been closed on the orders of the Punjab government for security of doctors and paramedical staff. For raising the height of walls, the management has forwarded a proposal for allocation of funds. However, barbed wires have been placed on all walls of the hospital as a security measure, he stated.