NICVD authorities illegally appointed 30 employees: NAB

The National Accountability Bureau has claimed that 30 employees at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases in Karachi, have been hired illegally.

The bureau submitted a written reply to requests submitted by NICVD Director Naveed Qamar in corruption and illegal appointment cases.

The Sindh government issued Rs32 billion for the hospital from 2014 to 2020, of which Rs15 billion was spent on the salaries of doctors, officers, and employees, according to the bureau. It claimed that salaries have been increasing while the number of patients treated at the hospital has declined.

None of the charges against NICVD have been proven yet.

The hospital authorities have, however, claimed that NAB officers have been harassing them and interfering with their work.

The Sindh High Court instructed on December 16 the administration of the NICVD to provide all documents to NAB in the corruption case against the hospital. “No NAB officer will harass the hospital employees,” remarked a judge.

The NICVD, which was inaugurated in 1963, treats people with heart diseases. According to its website, it is the “first tertiary cardiac care institute in South Asia as well as the flagship facility for cardiology in Pakistan.”

Corruption allegations

Dr Tariq Sheikh, a former staff officer at NICVD, wrote a letter to the Sindh chief secretary and informed him about the alleged embezzlement and misappropriation of funds, misuse of power and rampant corruption at the NICVD.

He said he had informed Dr Qamar of the irregularities that had caused losses of billions over the last four years.

Officials had been embezzling funds and donations through 27 bank accounts, Shaikh had alleged. Some of them were even promoted to BPS-19 and 20 within six months of their appointment at the hospital.

NAB raids NICVD

On October 29, a NAB team raided the hospital for the third time. The raid was reportedly conducted over an inquiry into employees being given salaries in advance and the purchase of medicine and medical equipment.

Hospital operations were suspended temporarily resulting in many patients suffering.