PESHAWAR: Health department is investigating a complaint lodged by a doctor that he has paid bribe to officials to get himself posted as medical officer in Landi Kotal tehsil of Khyber tribal district.

Health Secretary Mohammad Tahir Orakzai told Dawn that investigation was started on instructions of Health Minister Taimur Salim Jhagra. He said that there was no room for corruption and illegal practices.

“All the employees would be facilitated to get fair chances of posting and transfer in accordance with the government’s policy,” he said.

The report of the inquiry will be prepared and shared with chief minister on Monday.

The minister said in a letter on February 16 that he was seriously concerned over the allegations of bribe received by staffers of health secretariat and directorate general health services by an employee of the department to pave way for his transfer.

Health dept to share report of inquiry with CM on Monday

He said that if the allegations turned out to be correct, then a case would be lodged to award exemplary punishment to people involved. “A simple inquiry is not sufficient and I expect the secretary to enforce policy measures to mitigate risk of such behaviour and put penalties as deterrence,” he added.

Dr Salman Khan, a medical officer in district headquarters hospital Charsadda, alleged in a complaint to secretary’s that he had given cash money to four employees of the health department to be able to get posted in Landi Kotal under spouse policy as his wife was already serving as a medical officer there.

He said that despite giving Rs200,000 to one and Rs30,000 to another and Rs20,000 to each of other two staffers he was not transferred to Landi Kotal due to which he submitted the complaint.

Dr Salman, who appeared before a two-member inquiry committee alongside the four staffers, on Wednesday said that he was on leave for four years from his job for postgraduate training.

He said that on his arrival on January 7, he was posted in his native Swat district. He said that later he brought no objection certificate from the medical superintendent of Landi Kotal hospital but failed to get posted there. He added that he was posted in Charsadda.

Therefore, he started asking the employees of health department to return his money, he told the probe committee.

Dr Salam told Dawn that two of the employees returned him Rs200,000 and Rs20,000 respectively late in the evening but the two others were not ready to pay him back because they rejected his allegations.

“I don’t have any proof but these are normal things in offices. It is my basic right to be posted in a hospital in a legal way. Now, I request the health secretary to transfer me to Landi Kotal as per government’s policy,” he said.

Taking exception to the complaint, minister ordered that the quarters concerned to expedite enforcement of the reform measures to improve transfer and posting processes. “Improve and make transparent the transfer and posting done through the transfer platform on a weekly basis,” he directed them.

The minister asked them to review the need of several layers of clerical staff, both at the health secretariat and at the directorate-general health services, and post out and abolish unnecessary positions. He asked them to flag individuals with a poor track record and ensure that they were not posted on critical positions.

He ordered them to introduce an e-complaint mechanism to enable people to report any untoward behaviour of the employees.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2022