LARKANA:Director General Health Services Sindh (DGHSS), Hyderabad, has constituted a two-member inquiry committee to probe the theft of costly government medicines found by Civil Lines police at a private warehouse in Larkana.
The police have also arrested the warehouse owner Suhail Ahmed and registered an FIR under Sections 380, 411, 403, 34 PPC, 420 against the accused. The arrested godown owner also allegedly confessed that he purchased the government drugs from another person.
During further investigation, a lawyer Baqa-ur-Rahman Chandio has also been arrested along with one Sadam by police. The police claimed to have got solid proof against them which they will produce in the relevant court. After the advocate’s arrest, the district bar association members have launched a protest movement, demanding not only the release of their colleague but also the removal of all police officers including SHO and SSP Masood Bangash from jobs.
SHO Civil Lines told this scribe on Sunday that 282 cartons were taken into custody which contained NOVIDAT syrup and other costly medicines amounting to millions of rupees. He said all the medicines were labeled as “Sindh Government Property – Sale Prohibited – DHO Larkana”. He said a further probe is underway.
Last midnight, SHO, Darri Police Station, Fida Hussain Langah, also conducted another raid separately at another private warehouse owned by one Sadam Unar in Murad Wahan locality and recovered over 100 cartons of costly government medicines. SHO Langah when asked about the cost of the medicines said that they are not experts hence the cost of the medicines cannot be determined by them but it is expected that recovered medicines are worth millions of taxpayers’ hard-earned rupees..He said FIR is being registered adding no arrest has been made and police are investigating the matter further. He said after the probe it will be clear whether the drugs have been stolen from DHO or Chandka Medical College Hospital (CMCH) store.
Police authorities are of the view that if the thorough probe is conducted into the theft of government medicines then “big fishes” could be found involved in this dirty business of stealing government drugs which are meant for consumption by poverty-stricken people of Larkana district as people belonging to rich families do not come to get medical treatment at public sector hospitals across the province.
The office order issued by the DGHSS seems to be faulty and has been sent under immense pressure, under which a committee has been constituted (not inquiry committee) comprising of two CMCH doctors, Dr. Altaf Hussain Jokhio, Deputy Medical Superintendent and Dr. Habib-ur-Rahman Soomro, Additional Medical Superintendent. The order said the committee is constituted “regarding social media clips about the illegal sale of government property (DHO Larkana) drugs and other items in the open market at Larkana”. The members have been directed to submit a report within two days. Both these doctors have no previous experience of conducting any inquiry which shows that DGHSS allegedly intends to bury the entire theft case on political influence.
The media has been constantly crying to post a proper DHO of BPS-20 but the provincial health department ignored such reports for ulterior motives and the entire work was looked after by an incharge DHO of BPS-19 who is alleged to be enjoying strong political backing and support. He recently recruited about 30 overaged doctors for COVID-19 duties in sheer violation of standing instructions allegedly against handsome amounts which also need to be probed by senior honest officers.
The People of Larkana have demanded that the police must find who stole and sold government drugs and expose the mafia so that poor should not suffer for the negligence of others.