ACE launches inquiry against hospital over ‘fake diet bills’

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–MS says hospital bought almonds, fish, mutton among other things during last financial year

KARACHI: The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) has started an inquiry and sought more documents after the employees of the Sindh Government Hospital in Liaquatabad were accused of embezzling money in the name of the hospital’s diet programme.

The ACE – after receiving numerous complaints of fake diet bills and poor food quality – launched an investigation against Sindh Government Hospital, Liaquatabad.

According to the letter addressed to the medical superintendent, “It is stated that you have been already informed that the above subject inquiry has been initiated …the undersigned is directed to conduct an inquiry and report as per ACE Rules 1993.”

The department sought more documents from the hospital, saying that “the insufficient record” was provided by the MS. It directed the head of the hospital “to provide the attested copies of the budget file regarding diet programme for the year 2018-19; daily basis approved diet items provided to patients including ratio, procurement file regarding diet programme; list of firm, who provided diet items during 2018-19; copies of all bills/vouchers/cheques/supply orders, and incumbency of responsible official/officers who incurred the [said] year”.

The medical superintendent in response submitted a report to investigators detailing the ration purchased by hospital authorities for the provision of food to patients.

According to MS Dr Syed Muntazir Haider, the hospital purchased 500 kilograms of almond, chicken (1100 kgs), mutton (700 kgs), fish (1200 kgs), vegetable (1200 kgs), wheat flour (5000 kgs), rice (1000 kgs), cooking oil (1000 kgs), daal masoor (250 kgs), daal channa (350 kgs), daal mong (350 kgs), eggs (3000 dozens), sugar (600 kgs), bread (3500 full size), butter (1000 per 25 gm), yogurt (1250 kgs), milk powder (500 kg), tea leaf (100,000 pack), biscuit (22,000 per ticky pack), mango (1500 kgs), apple (1500 kgs), banana (1500 kgs), tomato (1000 kgs), long melon (1000 kgs), spinach (1000 kgs), ginger (25000 gm), garlic (50,000 gm), onion (1000 kg), red chili (5000 gm), haldi powder (10,000 gm), zeera (20,000 gm), garam masala (38,000 gm), green masala (36,000 gm), milk (30,000 packs) and juice (35000 packs).