PESHAWAR: The Awami National Party (ANP) has expressed serious concerns over the state of the healthcare sector in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, alleging shortages of medical facilities and financial and procurement irregularities at major public hospitals.
Speaking at a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club on Wednesday, ANP provincial spokesperson Arsalan Khan Nazim claimed that no prostate surgeries had been performed at Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) for the past two months.
Khan also highlighted a shortage of intensive care beds at LRH, saying the hospital currently has only 28 ICU beds. He alleged that no significant increase in ICU capacity had been made at major hospitals in the province since 2013.
According to ANP provincial spokesperson, shortages of medical equipment were also affecting surgical procedures at LRH, raising questions about the availability of basic healthcare facilities for patients.
He further alleged that no additional development work had been carried out at the Khyber Institute of Cardiology since 2013.
Turning to Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC), he claimed that supervisors in the Interventional Radiology Department had resigned and alleged violations of procurement rules and procedures.
He alleged that procurement processes were sometimes carried out without proper tendering and competitive analysis. The ANP spokesperson also questioned the availability of procurement records for periods before September 2022.
ANP leader claimed that there was no effective system for brand approval and inspection in the purchase of medicines and alleged that the supply chain department was not properly involved in medicine procurement and distribution.
He alleged financial irregularities amounting to billions of rupees at HMC, including claims involving Rs3.6 billion in losses under the SSP head and Rs4.5 billion in alleged irregular purchases for which, he said, no proper record was available.
He also claimed that one hospital had suffered financial losses amounting to Rs14 billion, although the allegations were not independently verified.
The ANP called for investigations into the alleged financial and administrative irregularities in the provincial health sector, saying those responsible should be held accountable.
“Mere allegations of corruption and mismanagement should be investigated, and the relevant departments are responsible for acting on inquiry reports,” he said.
He also raised concerns over the reported shortage of cardiac stents at HMC, claiming that stents had not been available for two to three weeks. He termed the situation particularly serious for cardiac patients, who may require immediate intervention in emergency cases.
He demanded that the authorities take immediate notice of the alleged shortage and ensure the availability of essential cardiac equipment.
He said the opposition had a responsibility to identify corruption and governance issues and bring them before the relevant institutions.
“We are not in government; we are in opposition,” Khan said, adding that the ANP would continue raising its voice over alleged corruption and mismanagement in the health sector.
Referring to the healthcare needs of the wider population, Khan said that while the PTI founder’s treatment was an issue in its own right, the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa should also be guaranteed access to adequate healthcare facilities.
The allegations made by the ANP could not be independently verified. Relevant hospital administrations and provincial health authorities were not immediately available for comment.
