PESHAWAR (Salman Yousafzai): Valuable medical equipment worth over Rs 45 million has allegedly been stolen from the central store of the Peshawar Institute of Cardiology (PIC), prompting immediate action by hospital authorities.
During a routine stock inspection, officials discovered that expensive equipment used in heart treatments, angioplasty, and other critical operations was missing. The stolen items reportedly include high-value stents and other disposable devices purchased by the government for patient use.
An initial inquiry revealed that the accused had opened sealed boxes to remove the equipment, allowing the theft to go unnoticed for some time. Sources indicate that the stolen goods were allegedly sold in various areas of Peshawar, and investigations are ongoing to determine if other hospital staff or external networks were involved.
Following the discovery, four employees of the central store were suspended, arrested, and handed over to the police, while departmental action was initiated. Hospital spokesperson Riffat Anjum confirmed the arrests and said all four employees have been dismissed. He added that the hospital administration is committed to a transparent investigation and strict legal action against those responsible.
Despite the incident, PIC officials assured that patient treatment and operations have not been affected, and medical services continue as usual. Measures are being strengthened in store management, monitoring, and auditing to prevent such incidents in the future.
