Chhattisgarh: Audit exposes ₹ 660 crore healthcare equipment procurement scam
- In Reports
- 07:21 PM, Jun 29, 2024
- Myind Staff
A recent audit has uncovered major issues in the procurement practices of the Chhattisgarh State Medical Services Corporation Limited. The audit, which examined the financial years 2022-23 and 2023-24, found that medical equipment and reagents valued at ₹660 crores were purchased without any budget allocation. This finding was highlighted in a letter from the Accountant General to the Health Department.
The audit revealed that the corporation procured medical equipment and reagents and distributed them to 776 primary health care (PHC) facilities. Alarmingly, over 350 of these PHCs lacked the necessary technical staff and storage facilities to properly utilise the equipment. Additionally, the audit noted that the Director of Health Services ordered these items without performing crucial baseline surveys or gap analyses to determine the specific needs of each facility. The distribution was uniform across all PHCs, disregarding differences in patient load and specific requirements. Consequently, valuable equipment remains unused, and there is a risk of reagent quality deterioration.
At Bhatgaon Primary Health Center in Raipur, advanced equipment like sonography and X-ray machines remain unused due to the lack of specialist doctors. Dr. Harshita Tekam from the PHC mentioned that while basic services like first aid and blood pressure monitoring are available, advanced machines cannot be utilised until specialists are appointed.
At Urla Primary Health Center, numerous chairs are unused due to space limitations. Naresh Sahu, President of the Paramedical Association, criticized the procurement approach, stressing that patient admission should have been prioritized over purchasing costly equipment. He highlighted the example of an ₹18 crore PET SCAN Gamma machine bought in 2018 for the capital's largest hospital, which still remains non-functional.
The Principal Accountant General has called for a thorough audit involving the Chhattisgarh State Medical Services Corporation, the Director of Health Services, the National Health Mission, and field-level healthcare facilities. The audit aims to reveal the extent of mismanagement and ensure accountability.
This revelation raises serious concerns about the efficiency and transparency of the state's healthcare procurement processes. As the investigation progresses, the cooperation of all relevant facilities has been requested to ensure a comprehensive audit.
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