Questions Raised Over Use of Rs5.404 Billion Additional Health Budget in Balochistan

QUETTA: Questions have been raised over the utilization of an additional Rs5.404 billion allocated to Balochistan’s Health Department during the last fiscal year, with critics seeking greater transparency over how the funds were spent and what tangible improvements were delivered to the public.

According to the report, the amount was provided as part of a revised budget during the fiscal year, over and above the department’s original annual allocation. The additional funding was intended to strengthen the healthcare system, improve facilities at public hospitals, ensure the availability of medicines and medical equipment, and enhance healthcare services across the province.

However, public representatives, healthcare professionals, and civil society members have questioned whether the significant allocation resulted in measurable improvements. They argue that many government hospitals in Balochistan continue to face shortages of medicines, limited diagnostic facilities, outdated or non-functional medical equipment, and inadequate healthcare services, forcing many patients to seek treatment at private hospitals or in other provinces.

Observers have called on the provincial government to disclose how the additional funds were utilized, including details of new projects launched, hospital upgrades completed, medical equipment purchased, ambulances provided, rural health centers made operational, and the recruitment of doctors, nurses, and paramedical staff.

Critics also questioned why patients continue to bear out-of-pocket expenses for medicines and diagnostic tests if the additional funding was effectively utilized.

Analysts emphasized that the success of any supplementary budget should be measured not by the amount spent but by the improvements achieved in public services. They have urged the Balochistan government and the Health Department to publish a detailed breakdown of the expenditure and demonstrate the measurable impact of the additional Rs5.404 billion on healthcare services, while ensuring transparency and accountability in the use of public funds.