House panel recommends action against officers

 
The Committee, after going through the CAG’s report on the implementation of Karnataka Health System Improvement Programme (KHSIP) in 2002-03 the State, has recommended that both officials should be held responsible for depriving people of facilities by delaying installing of equipment. The Committee headed by Siddaramaiah has submitted its report in the Council.

The KHSIP was implemented in 2004 in selected government hospitals at the cost of Rs 620 crore. Purchase of new equipment, renovation of hospital buildings and supply of drugs were planned under the programme.

The CAG in its report had found that the Health Department bought hospital equipment, including 217 X-ray machines and 58 ultrasound scanners, worth Rs 20.4 crores,  but failed to instal in select hospitals even after the lapse of 65 months of the purchase. The equipment were purchased even before completion of renovation work of hospital buildings. So, they were not installed.

The PAC has recommended regular review of maintenance of equipment; fixing the duration of equipment maintenance contract to three years; purchase of generators for all hospitals and provision pf MRI and CT scanners at all district hospitals