Balochistan Health Department Faces Over Rs. 5 Billion Irregularities in Special Audit Report

Quetta:A five-year special audit report of Balochistan’s Health Department’s Medical Store Depot has revealed over Rs. 5 billion worth of irregularities, including the failure to distribute medicines worth Rs. 1.77 billion across the province’s districts. According to documents from the Auditor General of Pakistan, covering the period from 2017 to 2022, several financial mismanagements and procurement discrepancies have been flagged in the report.

Key findings include:

* **Unapproved Purchases**: Medicines and surgical equipment worth Rs. 98 crore were purchased without the approval of the Purchase Committee.
* **Loss Due to Testing Issues**: Medicines purchased without proper testing led to a loss of Rs. 9 crore.
* **Suspicious Purchases**: Dental items worth Rs. 1.52 crore were allegedly bought under suspicious circumstances.
* **Unapproved Payments**: Payments of Rs. 25 crore were made without any tendering or record keeping.
* **Irregular Cotton Purchases**: Irregularities amounting to Rs. 3.57 crore were discovered in cotton procurement.
* **Security Deposit Issues**: A security deposit of Rs. 4.67 crore was not collected from a firm as required.
* **Excess Purchases**: Unnecessary purchases, including X-ray films, disposable syringes, and chemicals worth Rs. 7 crore, were made.
* **Expired Medicines**: Medicines worth Rs. 3.48 crore past their expiry date were not replaced or disposed of as per protocol.
* **Unused Medical Equipment**: Medical equipment worth Rs. 2.19 crore, which was left unused, resulted in a significant loss to the department’s treasury.

Additionally, the audit report revealed that over Rs. 31 crore in government taxes had not been collected, and crucial records worth Rs. 19 crore were not provided to the audit team.

The revelations in the report paint a grim picture of financial mismanagement, with Rs. 25 crore in payments made without proper documentation or tenders. These findings highlight the urgent need for accountability and corrective measures within the department.

The audit report has raised serious concerns about the misallocation of funds, procurement malpractices, and the overall lack of oversight in the province’s healthcare system, leaving taxpayers and patients bearing the brunt of these irregularities.