It has been revealed that in most major government hospitals of Sindh, CT scan and MRI machines have been lying out of order and non-functional for several years. However, an even bigger revelation has emerged about how these machines are being damaged.
In a recent PAC meeting, an inquiry was ordered into the matter of dysfunctional CT scan and MRI machines in Sindh’s government hospitals. The PAC directed the Health Secretary to make the out-of-order machines functional and present a report.
PAC Chairman Nisar Khuhro questioned why CT scan and MRI machines worth millions of rupees, purchased for divisional hospitals of Sindh, are lying broken and unused. Health Secretary Rehan Baloch stated that the MRI machine at Larkana hospital is also out of order. He claimed that in most major hospitals of Sindh, technicians deliberately damage CT scan and MRI machines to push patients towards private laboratories for testing.
He further informed that action has already been taken against technicians involved in damaging the machines, and more actions will follow.
The PAC also ordered sealing of unregistered medical stores and those selling fake medicines, as well as legal action against owners running medical stores without licenses in Sindh.
The meeting also highlighted that in various districts, MS of the Health Department purchased medicines worth more than Rs 3 billion locally without tenders. The PAC demanded a list of hospitals and medicines purchased through quotations without tenders.
The Health Secretary explained that under PPRA rules, medicines can be purchased during emergencies. He clarified that 85 percent of medicines are purchased centrally, while 15 percent can be procured locally.
The PAC further ordered a third-party audit of Dr. Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi, where despite an annual expenditure of Rs 135 million on cleaning, the sanitation system has not improved.
The PAC meeting was chaired by Nisar Khuhro in the committee room, attended by members of the committee including Khurram Karim Soomro, Taha Ahmed, Health Secretary Rehan Baloch, MS of several hospitals across Sindh, and other relevant officials. The audit paras of the Health Department for the years 2024 and 2025 were reviewed.
