PESHAWAR: A major medical glove procurement scandal has emerged in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with alleged irregularities causing an estimated Rs1 billion loss to the provincial exchequer. The Anti-Corruption Establishment has now launched a separate investigation into the case following an initial inquiry by the Health Department.
According to official documents, the caretaker government decided in February 2024 to purchase 43.5 million examination gloves for government hospitals across the province.
Payments totalling Rs983.9 million were made in February and March 2024 under two separate procurement heads. Government hospitals were supplied with boxes of 100 examination gloves at Rs2,260 each.
However, an investigation into the alleged financial irregularities found that the market price of a box containing 100 examination gloves was only Rs700. This meant the government purchased the same quantity at more than three times the prevailing market rate.
The inquiry also uncovered discrepancies in the recorded distribution of the supplies.
Official records showed that three million gloves had been delivered to the Matani Category-D Hospital in Peshawar, another three million to the District Headquarters Hospital in Bajaur, and 19.23 million to the District Health Officer in North Waziristan.
However, the relevant officials denied receiving the consignments.
Investigators found that a total of 29.2 million gloves had been shown as delivered on paper, allegedly through fake invoices, despite the recipients denying their receipt.
Further scrutiny revealed that only 4.3 million gloves were physically available in the Directorate General of Health’s warehouse. No record could be found to establish the distribution or whereabouts of the remaining 39.2 million gloves.
Health Department documents estimate that the alleged procurement and distribution irregularities caused a loss of approximately Rs1 billion to the provincial government.
The Anti-Corruption Establishment has sought complete details of the procurement process, distribution records, officials posted at the time and other relevant aspects of the case as its investigation proceeds.
