A significant embezzlement scandal has emerged at the District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ) in Charsadda, where Rs 7.5 million has gone missing. The hospital's pharmacy technician initially claimed that the money was stolen, prompting an investigation by the Medical Superintendent (MS) and a report to the Director General (DG) Health.
The missing funds are from the hospital's Outpatient Department (OPD) revenue collected over the past three months. Sources at the hospital reported that income from examination slips, laboratory tests, and X-rays for March, April, and May totaled Rs 7.5 million. Rather than depositing this revenue in the hospital's account, the former MS, Dr. Shoaib, allegedly instructed pharmacy technician Gul Shad to hold the funds in cash.
This is not the first instance of financial misconduct at the hospital. A previous investigation revealed an embezzlement of Rs 3.3 million involving a superintendent and a junior clerk. Following the transfer of Dr. Shoaib, the new MS, Dr. Jahangir, took charge last week and directed the technician to deposit the funds. In response, the technician claimed the money had been stolen but failed to report the alleged theft to the authorities.
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On June 14, the MS of DHQ Hospital formally notified the DG Health about the missing funds, outlining the absence of the collected revenue for the three months. The letter implicated former MS Dr. Shoaib and Deputy Medical Superintendent (DMS) Dr. Javed Sattar, stating they had verbally instructed the pharmacy technician to keep the daily revenue.
The Health Department’s records indicate that the Additional Director General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dr. Abid Hussain, previously confirmed an embezzlement of Rs 3.3 million. The implicated staff had their salaries docked to recover the stolen amount.
DMS Dr. Javed Sattar, named in the recent letter, denied any involvement, stating that he could not issue orders to subordinates as a junior officer. He welcomed an inquiry, asserting that clarity is necessary because the funds are public trust, and those responsible for embezzlement should face departmental action.
According to Dr. Javed Sattar, the hospital’s revenue is distributed as follows: 10% to the government treasury, 60% for hospital use, 25% for doctor shares, 3% for MN Dar, and 2% for advance shares. He emphasized the need for an inquiry into the claims of lost money.
Dr. Jahangir, the current MS, reported the incident to the district police officer, requesting a formal case be registered. However, the police have yet to take action. When contacted by TNN, pharmacy technician Gul Shad declined to provide a detailed statement, promising to respond later but ultimately failing to do so.
The incident highlights ongoing issues of financial mismanagement within the hospital, emphasizing the need for stringent oversight and accountability to prevent future occurrences.
