KATHMANDU, May 1: It has been revealed that the Nepal Police Hospital procured drugs worth millions of rupees without following necessary procedures.
Nepal Police Hospital purchased drugs worth Rs 1.8 million without mentioning it in the purchase agreement of the hospital in the current fiscal year, according to the annual report of the Office of Auditor General (OAG).
Sick hospitals sans doctors
"Additionally, the hospital bought the drugs worth Rs 4.7 million from various suppliers without following the procurement procedures. The quality of purchased drugs were not examined," said the OAG annual report.
Nepal Police Hospital supplied drugs worth Rs 47.8 million in the current fiscal year. The hospital provides medicines free of cost to its patients.
The hospital, which was established 35 years ago aiming at providing health services to police personnel, their family members and retired police personnel, has 150 beds. The hospital is currently manned by 489 staffers although the approved number of positions is 642. The hospital, which has 24-hour emergency service and a well-equipped laboratory, also started providing services to ordinary people from November 12, 2017. It provided health services to 149,652 patients in the current fiscal year and referred 60 patients to other hospitals.
A total of Rs 455.8 million was allocated for Nepal Police Hospital in the current fiscal year. As per the Financial Procedure Act 2055 (16), all kinds of expenditures must be audited by an independent auditor. However, the hospital has not audited the accounts of various "Funds" last year and this year as well, according to the OAG report.
"Various funds were found operating under Nepal Police Hospital Welfare Section. They include treatment fund for retired and serving police personnel and their families, career development fund, miscellaneous fund, cancer treatment fund, retirement fund, and Former Nepal Police Family Forum," said the OAG annual report, which was recently published.
