Doctors at Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) have urged the authorities concerned to ensure absolute transparency and accountability in procurement of medicines, medical gadgets and other essential items for the hospital. CHK doctors were of the opinion that experience over the years had shown that gadgets procured against heavy costs could not last long. The doctors, requesting anonymity, said there had been frequent instances when obsolete medical equipment was preferred instead of models with spare parts easily available. “Lack of transparency and accountability could be gauged from the fact that sale deals made or tenders accepted often were found with no condition for replacement of components even during initial phases,” a senior professor said. The professionals also had their serious reservations with regard to Works Department and referred to depleted status of the building that housed different wards. To a query they said eye-wash measures were frequently adopted to cover the misdeeds and as expected these never actually delivered but added to the misery of the patients.
