Irregularities in National HIV Aids program

HOMER BALOCH

ISLAMABAD: With rampant irregularities in purchase of medicines besides promotions and postings to blue eyed officers and employees on the basis of political considerations plaguing the Health Department, the higher authorities and the Concerned Minister continues to turn blind eye towards what is leading to total chaos and complete paralysis of the functioning of Health and national program for HIV Aids.

According to a document available to The Spokesman, Joint Secretary Inter-Provincial Coordination Syed Javid Khan is still controlling the affairs of HIV National Progamme despite its transfer to the another ministry i.e. National Regulations & Services.

Syed Javid Khan, who is illegally holding the control of National HIV Aids program, is doing it on the behest of Secretary National Regulations & Services Imtiaz Inayat Elahi.

Sources said adding that even though director general health of the National Regulations & Services has admitted that an officer from another department is holding a key position but no action so far has been taken against him.

"The person who has been officiating as program manager is Syed Javid Khan is joint secretary in inter provincial government and is also holding the position of program manager in National program for HIV Aids who is bypassing all laws he has attained the post instead of many senior there," sources said, adding that his posting as program manager was also questionable.

Surprisingly, with all these brazen irregularities and in knowledge of the authorities too, the concerned Minister Saira Afzal Tarar is either turning blind eye deliberately or acting like a mute spectator when things have paralyzed the functioning of the department.

It is pertinent to mention here that several high-profiled in National HIV Aids control program department have committed financial, recruitment and accounting irregularities in the past.

Document available to The Spokesman also highlighted recruitment irregularities, unfair payment practices and circumvention of internal controls in the same department.