Many projects have been delayed in the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), the capital’s largest hospital, due to litigation and stay orders obtained by contractors.

This issue highlights the weaknesses in the agreements with different stakeholders and also points towards the possible involvement of the managements of various institutions where the same kinds of delays are being experienced.

The latest case came to light when the Pims management claimed it had sealed one of the three pharmacies of the hospital after successfully vacating the stay order.

The contract for the pharmacy was awarded some 12 years ago at a nominal rate as it was established to facilitate patients. This was the first pharmacy in Pims and before this, patients and their attendants had to go all the way to Blue Area to get medicines. It was established after many complaints were received from patients.

The hospital management claims the pharmacy was only paying Rs12,000 per month in rent and that the pharmacy operator had managed to get a stay order from the district court in 2014.

The other two pharmacies, one in the main hospital and the other in the children hospital, are paying Rs2.6 million and Rs1.8 million in rent per month respectively. According to Pims management, the operators of the other two pharmacies were also complaining about the difference in rent and how that affects business for them.

Talking to Dawn, Pims Administrator Dr Raja Amjad Mehmood said that after assuming this office, he got to know that one of the pharmacies was only paying Rs12,000 per month rent and so he decided to try and vacate the stay order.

“The language of the agreement was so strong that it was difficult to vacate the stay order as it was drafted by a lawyer. On the other hand, I had suspicions that some elements in the hospital management were also favouring the pharmacy operators,” he said.

The matter of the pharmacy was also discussed in parliament where the Minister for Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said the pharmacy was vacated due to the huge difference in rents.

A doctor at the hospital said the last time the pharmacy got a stay order was in 2014 after which the hospital management did not bother trying to vacate it.

“I have observed that [those who are awarded contracts] develop links with officials in the management after which the concerned officers start obliging them and showing them how to save funds. I am sure such suggestions are not given without some financial benefits. It has been observed a number of times that legal officers in government officials favour the opponents and not the organisations they work for,” he said.

The doctor said it should be made sure that agreements should be made in the interests of public organisations or the exchequer will continue facing losses.

“The pharmacy which was paying Rs12,000 in rent every month earns records sales of Rs500,000 a day. The profit in medicines is about 20pc to 40pc and even more in some medicines,” he said.

The doctor pointed to a number of similar cases in the hospital such as one of the restaurant owners who is using more than the agreed on space and who threatens to go to court when requested to vacate the extra space and some parking space contractors.

Spokesperson for the Pims Employees Association Dr Asfandyar Khan told Dawn projects worth billions could not be completed due to the lethargic attitude of the management.

“The building of a postgraduate institute and residents could not be completed in almost two decades due to litigation. The construction of the Cardiac Centre was delayed by 10 years due to which its employees became overage and now their services cannot be regularised. The Bone Marrow Transplant Centre also needs the management’s attention,” he said.

Dr Khan added that he finds it strange that the 1,000 vacant posts in the hospital are vacant and are not being filled only due to the lethargic attitude of the management.

“After the appointment of the new administrator, we are hoping things will improve and we have already noticed some improvements,” he said.

Dr Amjad Mehmood said he realised that such delays cause huge losses and that due to that he has decided that the rules of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority will be followed. He said it will also be considered if public representatives should be involved in the projects as that can help avoiding stay orders and delays in the completion of projects.

“I have moved a request for regularising the services of the staff in the bone marrow transplant centre and with the help of the Pakistan Baitul Mal, 70 dialysis machines will be installed to provide free of cost treatment to kidney patients,” he said.

A similar delay can be seen in the matter of the extension of Polyclinic. A doctor at Polyclinic said that in 2008, it was decided that a building will be constructed on one third of the Argentina Park, which comes to about 2.5 acres, located in front of the hospital.

The project first became controversial when the Ministry of Health realised the park was named after Argentina and the embassy of Argentina had provided funds for the construction of the park and also for its maintenance.

“The ministry got approval from the Argentinean embassy for the construction of the hospital but the project worth Rs1 billion was delayed continuously. Last year, a petition was filed against the extension in the Islamabad High Court due to which the project was further delayed.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2018