Nepal Health News, Biratnagar: In the fiscal year 2079/80 (2022/23), the Koshi Province government purchased advanced DNA extraction machines for tuberculosis testing. These machines were intended to be installed in seven different district hospitals and Koshi Hospital across the province. However, out of the eight machines purchased, three are still lying unused in storage.
The Provincial Health Supply Center procured these machines at a cost of approximately NPR 3.864 million per unit. The machines were meant for hospitals in Udayapur, Tehrathum, Solukhumbu, Ilam, Morang, and Sunsari districts. However, due to the lack of necessary infrastructure, the machines could not be transferred to hospitals in Belbari, Rangeli, and Koshi Hospital.
Even more concerning, in many of the hospitals where the machines have been installed, they have either been used only once or not used at all. Similarly, an HIV testing machine worth over NPR 3.4 million, purchased for the Provincial Public Health Laboratory, remains unused due to the unavailability of reagents.
According to officials from the Ministry of Health, the purchase of these machines was made without conducting adequate assessments of the hospitals' needs or ensuring the availability of necessary manpower and infrastructure to operate them. As a result, the equipment is neither in use nor stored securely.
The 7th Annual Report (FY 2080/81) by the Office of the Auditor General also highlights the mismanagement and poor preservation of medical equipment as a serious oversight. The report raises questions about the provincial government's use of public funds.
Statements from the Health Minister and Officials
Current Provincial Health Minister Bhupendra Rai admitted that the equipment was purchased hastily and without proper study by the previous leadership. He described this as a clear case of mismanagement and claimed that such tendencies have been controlled since he assumed office.
Minister Rai stated that unless the equipment lying in storage is put to use, its procurement cannot be justified. He cited the example of the dialysis machine in Dhankuta, which began providing services only after the necessary manpower was arranged.
Dr. Suresh Mehta, head of the Provincial Health Supply Center, informed that preparations are underway to send the remaining machines to hospitals that have the required infrastructure and manpower.
Rising Questions and Criticism
At a time when most hospitals in the province are struggling to provide even basic health services effectively, the fact that equipment worth crores remains unused and is deteriorating has become a serious issue. The misuse of government funds has raised concerns about the province's governance and transparency.
Earlier, Minister Rai had revealed in a press conference that 120 pieces of medical equipment across nine hospitals were found to be in a damaged condition. He stated that purchasing equipment without assessing manpower and needs during budget allocation was the root cause of the problem.Source: Ratopati
