KP: USAID-funded ambulances’ seats illegally sold, inquiry calls for action

PESHAWAR: A two-member inquiry committee led by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa health department special secretary has completed its investigation into the illegal sale of 14 ambulances’ seats purchased with financial support of the USAID.

The inquiry report has been submitted to the health secretary, recommending a formal inquiry against the project director of health and the senior planning officer of PDMA under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Civil Servant Rules 2011.

According to sources, the committee, submitted its findings to the health secretary on Tuesday. The inquiry report revealed that an agreement was reached between USAID and PDMA in 2018, facilitated by the health department, to purchase ambulances for hospitals in the Malakand Division.

Initially, a budget of Rs13.76 million was allocated for the project. However, the PC-1 document was revised twice, increasing the number of ambulances to 14, with a total allocation of Rs313.3 million.

The project director-led committee decided to purchase the vehicles from a private company, and these vehicles were later converted into ambulances by a private firm in Lahore.

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Recently, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister handed over these ambulances to health department in the presence of USAID representatives.

The inquiry report noted that the seats were removed from the vehicles before their conversion into ambulances and were sold in the market for Rs0.3 million through a private company, based on verbal instructions. The report highlighted that official procedures were not followed in selling the seats, nor was their market value assessed.

Additionally, the inquiry report pointed out that the ambulances were not procured for five years, causing their costs to double.

The reported said that the project director of health and the senior planning officer of PDMA failed to inform the administration department in a timely manner about the sale of the seats.

The inquiry committee has recommended initiating a formal investigation against Project Director Health, Dr Siraj, and Senior Planning Officer PDMA, Waseem Kundi, under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Servant Rules 2011

The report also recommended the matter of the private company be referred to the relevant forum for further action.