Dhaka Times Report. At the very moment when the nation is raising its voice against corruption, it has been reported that the government is wasting crores of rupees and plundering the health sector in front of the end of the current financial year i.e. 'June Final'.
According to the published news, in the name of better treatment and health care development of millions of patients, hospitals and health care institutions across the country, including the capital, hastily bought billions of rupees of equipment, furniture, medicines and MSR materials during this period. With the connivance of a class of dishonest and corrupt officials in various government institutions, organized contractors are getting legitimate work orders for supplying almost all kinds of goods at prices much higher than the market price. This incident has been happening every year for a long time under the pretext that if the allotted money is not spent by June 30, the money will be returned.
According to the documents raised in the monthly ADP meeting held at the Ministry of Health on April 29, less than 50 percent of the total money allocated in the fiscal year has been spent in the last 10 months (2011-2012). The total allocation of the ministry including the allocation of the HPNSDP program was Tk 3 thousand 35 crore 55 lakh. In 10 months of the financial year i.e. from 1 July 2011 to April 2012, 1 thousand 418 crore 84 lakh taka has been spent. Less than 50 percent of the total allocation, only 46.74 percent has been spent. Among them GOB 833 crore 48 lakh, project aid 585 crore 36 lakh taka. According to this, 50 percent and one and a half thousand crore rupees will be spent in May and June. Allegations have been made that several influential ministers, advisers, members of parliament, doctors and political leaders of the ruling party have approached the Minister, Secretary, Additional Secretary, Joint Secretary, Director General, Director and various Operation Plan (OP) Directors of the Ministry of Health and Health Department to get work done by the preferred contractor. Lobbying by being present in person, by sending people or by mobile phone. It has been alleged that no one will be allowed to work in peace if the contractor of his choice is not given the job, and even the consequences will not be good. A number of directors and line directors of the health department are unable to work in the office due to the fear of lobbying. Many are forced to say they are out of office to avoid trouble. There is also a rumor of sanctioning against some by accepting large sums of money.
In addition to the administrative approval of the Ministry of Health and the Department of Health, goods are also being purchased through spot quotations. It is known that various organizations can spend up to two lakh rupees without the administrative approval of the ministry. Compared to the last 2-1 years, it is reported that purchases have increased in spot quotations this time. Due to the fear that the money will be returned, there are frequent cases of giving purchase orders at double-three times higher than the market price without properly checking the quality of the products in almost every organization. The essential conditions required in the work order to ensure the quality of the goods are being cleverly avoided. The goods of low-quality companies in China and India are being packaged in fake packaging in the style of Europe and America. Not only shopping, at the end of the financial year, money is being spent in the name of foreign travel of doctors, nurses, officials, various operation plan discussion meetings, seminars and awareness programs. Despite spending in the name of development of the health sector, its benefits are not reaching the common people in most cases. From the top officials of various organizations to peons-charapashi-everyone is spending a very busy time in the festival of spending money. In a few months, the expensive equipment purchased in various medical colleges, hospitals and specialized institutions of the country, defects are being detected before the warranty period ends. Although Europe-America companies are supposed to supply the goods, this situation has arisen because the Chinese-Indian goods continue to be considered foreign with the connivance of organized corrupt officials. President of Health Rights Movement National Committee and former president of Bangladesh Medical Association Professor Dr. Rashid-e-Mahbub told Jugantar that corruption and looting of money cannot be stopped if the practice of spending crores of rupees at the end of the year is not stopped. A strong cycle of billions of dollars in business has been built up every year leading up to the June finale.
Meanwhile, complaints have been received that the vacant Health Directorate and Health Education Bureau have been issuing huge amount of advertisements in various daily, weekly and monthly newspapers in the last few years. It is known that these advertisements are paid according to the rules, but no bill is being paid even though a long time has passed since the publication of the advertisement. According to a source, around 8 crores worth of advertisements have been paid here while newspaper owners have been protesting for the bill for a long time. There is no answer as to why such a huge amount of advertising is given and why the bill is being messed with.
Allotment: The 2011-2012 RADP included a total of 24 projects including 19 investment projects and 3 technical projects and 2 JDCF-funded projects of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The total allocation in the current RADP in favor of 24 projects is Tk 765 crore 54 lakh. Out of this amount, 725 crore 85 lakh GOB and 39 crore 69 lakh project aid. Apart from this, the allocation of RADP for 2011-2012 financial year is Tk 2,270 crore 1 lakh in favor of HPN SDP program of the Ministry. Among them, GOB is Tk 790 crore 91 lakh and project aid is Tk 1 thousand 479 crore 10 lakh. Allotment of the ministry is 3 thousand 35 crore 55 lakh taka.
Exemption: As of April 2012, the total amount of free money is 1 thousand 956 crores 73 lakhs, which is 64.46 percent of the total allocation. Among them GOB 1 thousand 2 billion 54 lakh and 756 crore 18 lakh project aid.
Expenditure: Till April 2012, the total expenditure has been 1 thousand 418 crore 84 lakh taka, which is 46.74 percent of the total allocation.
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