ISLAMABAD-Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) doctors and staff of a private pharmacy functional in the hospital on Wednesday have been accused of theft of money and surgical medicine in the name of providing healthcare to patients.
An official of the PIMS has lodged a complaint against the doctors, Operation Theater (OT) staff, and representative of Pakistan Pharmacy for stealing the medicine provided for surgery of his wife which cost Rs82,000.
The incident occurred in surgical ward-3 and the complainant in application also alleged that doctors themselves handover the list of medicine and equipment required during surgery to the representative of the private pharmacy.
The application filed by the hospital telephone operator, available with The Nation said that he brought his wife to the hospital after she suffered brain hemorrhage. He said that initially laboratory staff lost the blood samples given and he was asked to take the samples again.
After the blood tests, the PIMS official who is also the complainant brought his ailing wife for the Echo test where he was charged with Rs1,000.
He said that doctors gave a date of October 20, 2020 for the operation and he was provided a list of medicine and equipment required during the surgery procedure. “Doctors handover the list of medicine and surgical equipment to the representative of Pakistan Pharmacy who is present in the surgical ward,” he alleged. The complainant alleged that he brought all items required for the surgical procedure for Rs180,000, however, two items of Rs82,000 were stolen after the procedure. He alleged that doctors, OT staff and representatives of the private pharmacy were involved in this theft and all must be held accountable.
The complainant also alleged that after the operation once again samples of RFTs and LFTs were taken, however, again lost and results were not provided.
“I have to go to a private lab for the tests,” he said.
According to the medicine list available with The Nation, the articles included Dural patch and Dural glue worth Rs82,000.
Senior officials of the PIMS said that joint connivance of hospital staff including senior doctors and private pharmacies has become a business. Official said that hospital staff with joint connivance of private pharmacies earn thousands from one patient who is medically recommended for surgeries.
He said that operation theatre has two lists including morning elective list of booked cases and evening emergency cases for any kinds of emergencies like road traffic accidents.
“Joint network grabs Rs50,000 average from each patient when it provides the medicine list in the situation when a patient or attendant does not know technicalities of the medical side,” official said. Executive Director (ED) PIMS, Prof. Dr. Anser Maxood refrained from commenting on the case saying that the case would be in process.
However, he said that generally there is a practice being continued where hospital provides some of the items and some have to be purchased by the patient or family. He said that private pharmacies in the hospital are for the facility of patients.
“The practice continues in the hospital, however, needs to be streamlined,” he said.