Serious violations of financial rules have been uncovered in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department, following which the Director General of Health Services has issued show-cause notices to several government hospitals across the province.

The notices demand an immediate explanation for breaches in the use of the medicine budget for the fiscal year 2025-26.

The hospitals included are: District Headquarters Hospitals in Charsadda, Bajaur, Mohmand, Battagram, Kohat, Mardan, Mansehra, Malakand, Lower Chitral, the Saidu Group of Teaching Hospitals in Swat, Tank, Benazir Bhutto Teaching Hospital Abbottabad, and M.R.M.H. Pabi Nowshera.

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The correspondence states that multiple hospitals ignored the prescribed financial rules in purchasing medicines and making payments.

Violations include making payments exceeding approved purchase orders, clearing bills without verified deliveries, and releasing payments without approval from drug testing laboratories.

The notice also expressed concern that hospital administrations repeatedly failed to maintain financial discipline despite clear instructions. 

Explicit guidelines had been issued stating that outstanding payments from previous fiscal years should not be paid from the current budget, at least 80% of funds must be spent on transparent procurement through the CMMO portal, and strict adherence to rules for local procurement must be ensured.

The Director General of Health Services has instructed the medical superintendents of the concerned hospitals to provide full details and authentic documentation of irregular expenditures within two days.

Officials stated that responses will be carefully reviewed, and if the explanations are unsatisfactory, departmental and legal action will be taken against the responsible officers.