-NICVD heads scamming people by taking illegal donations
–Dr Nadeem Qamar, Dr Syed Nadeem Rizvi appointed to due powerful contacts
KARACHI: With the politically-motivated reappointment of a doctor in the province’s only cardiovascular hospital – the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) is at the verge of collapse as hospital authorities and the top management is at loggerheads following the latter’s illegal activities, Pakistan Today has learnt.
In May 2018, the Sindh government had extended cardiologist Dr Nadeem Qamar’s contract tenure as the hospital’s executive director (ED). It is pertinent to mention here that he is Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) MNA Syed Naveed Qamar’s brother.
The cabinet was told that the NICVD was an important institution that established new satellites in various districts. Its director was retiring, therefore, a new director was to be appointed on the selection committee’s recommendation.
This committee had recommended a panel of two professors namely Professor Dr Nadeem Qamar on the top and Professor Dr Syed Nadeem Rizvi as the person second in command. However, insiders at the hospital confided in Pakistan Today that Dr Rizvi was actually brought in on Dr Nadeem Qamar’s recommendation as both are close friends.
Sources also said that an illegal NICVD Welfare Trust was established in 2015 on the land of NICVD which is leased by Pakistan Army for public service without approval from the NICVD governing body or Sindh government. Interestingly, the cardiovascular hospital is Sindh government’s entity for which billions of rupees are provided by the provincial government itself and it makes no sense to establish a donation account with a private bank, especially as the hospital offers the facility of doorstep donation collection.
“As per NICVD Act, 2015, NICVD is bound to have accounts in National Bank of Pakistan. But against government rules, NICVD Welfare Trust has its illegal account in a private bank while on service professor of BPS-20 Dr Nadeem Rizvi became a member of this illegal trust”, sources said while adding that Dr Rizvi and Ameen Hashwani are the signatories of the NICVD Welfare Trust account which they are using as their personal property.
Sources alleged that Dr Rizvi and Amin Hashwani were using the NICVD’s name to collect funds for their personal use, completely disregarding government rules and regulations. “No procurement processes or Sindh Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (SPPRA) rules are followed. During fundraising campaigns, all funds generated on behalf of NICVD are collected in the illegal account,” they told.
On the other hand, advertising expenses for the fundraising campaigns are made through NICVD accounts.
Furthermore, Amin Hashwani’s presence in the hospital is also dubious. He is a member of NICVD’s Executive Committee although there was no notification from the provincial government regarding the matter.
The sources also disclosed that two major companies namely Interphex and ACP Systems had indulged in illegal activities during the tendering process in the purchase of a Terumo Lung Machine. Both the companies have been providing machinery to the NICVD since 1971.
“I am writing this letter to bring to your attention that the Tender for Heart Lung Machines and our reservations as to how the matter was handled, ignoring the Purchase Regulations prescribed by the SPPRA. We had written you a letter on the subject on May 12, to which we have not received an answer to date”, stated one company in a letter to the hospital.
When contacted, Dr Nadeem Qamar told Pakistan Today that NICVD continues to grow. “Recently, we started bypass surgery at Larkana and Tando Muhammad Khan. Ten new chest pain units are also being placed of which the first one will be placed next week at cattle colony. All satellite centres are functioning well and so is Karachi NICVD,” he assured.
When asked about the severe internal differences in the administration, the executive director refused to comment on the issue.