KARACHI, April 14: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is looking into the charges of misuse of powers levelled against several grade-20 officers of the health department, revealed the provincial health minister on Wednesday.

Talking to a group of reporters in his chambers, Naeem Ishtiaq of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement disclosed that the officers involved were mostly doctors. "Because cases are pending against these people, they cannot be posted as medical superintendents or project directors," the minister remarked.

"This is one of the main reasons why many positions that should have grade-20 officers are being filled up by officers of grade-19." The minister was of the opinion that competence, not seniority, should be the main criterion for the appointment of people to important posts.

Answering a question, he admitted that several hundred Basic Health Units (BHUs) and Rural Health Centres (RHCs) were non-operational even though the health department employed several hundred thousand medics and paramedics.

"In the interior, the situation is alarming. Many healthcare centres have been transformed into the landed gentry's Autaqs or stables. Most of the doctors remain absent for months on end and there are many ghost workers."

Mr Ishtiaq said he intended to take measures that would ensure that doctors and paramedical staff work as much as they should. "And where there's genuinely a shortage of staff, we will appoint doctors and paramedics."

The minister agreed with the contention that corrupt officials had made it difficult for the honest officials to work smoothly for the betterment of their department. "There's too much corruption and commercialization in the department.

"So, there are a number of problems. I may not be able to resolve all the problems but I can certainly reduce their number. And I am ready to make a promise that I will reduce the number of problems facing us."

In response to a question, Mr Ishtiaq sought to dispel the impression that during the reign of the political governments, corruption reached epidemic proportions. "This is a very wrong impression.

"Whenever a political party like the Muttahida Qaumi Movement comes into power, common people get a chance to sit in important positions. And it is during such periods that corruption of the bureaucrats in checked."

Turning to the steps that he took immediately after being made the health minister, Mr Ishtiaq said he had begun appointing people with good reputation to positions of importance. "For instance, in Hyderabad people welcomed my appointee with open arms and actually celebrated this."

The minister claimed that he would be depending on the patients and journalists for information about the healthcare units under his control. He had recently ordered the removal of some 10 doctors from their posts, he added.

He told the journalists that he had ordered the closure of all the camp offices that had been opened by his predecessor in the various hospitals of the province. "All the hospitals in which the camp offices were opened should be looked after by the concerned medical superintendents.

"And these are the officers who should be controlling these hospitals, not the minister or adviser. That's why I ordered the closure of these minister's offices."