MULTAN, Jan 18: A group of health officials is minting money by establishing a firm to conduct third party evaluation of the achievements of various programmes in the health sector.

Sources in the health department told this correspondent that the firm was based in London and comprised a former assistant director-general health of the federal government, an additional secretary of the provincial government and an executive director of the Punjab second family health project.

Presently, the sources said, these officials were either on deputation to different donor agencies or on long leave from their parent departments, perhaps to provide a justification for their private business.

A few months back, the firm carried out a survey meant for the third party evaluation of the achievements of expanded programme for immunization in all the provinces and reportedly charged Rs55 million for the service from the government. The Punjab health department had also paid Rs1.5 million to the firm of its own employees for carrying out a cluster survey of the women health project.

Sources further said the officials were also drawing Rs0.1 million per month each as consultancy fees from the government. “Apart from this, they are also getting consultancy fees from the second family health project for other preventive programmes,” the sources said.