INVESTIGATION Premier healthcare institute All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has landed in a controversy over embezzlement of funds to the tune of 400 crore, including refunds worth 53.68 crore for poor patients.
The revelation came after an internal wing of the Health Ministry conducted an audit of AIIMS's records from the last five years.
The audit, a first-of-its-kind exercise, found that AIIMS has not refunded at least 53.68 crore to poor patients, who paid for various tests and treatment in advance. Irregularities were also found in the receipts for special procedures undertaken by patients.
"Balances under angiography, gamma knife, neurosurgery and cardio thoracic patients run into crores of rupees. The institute has also invested the amount in fixed deposits," the report said.
"Huge balances under these accounts indicate that the package rates have been fixed abnormally high. Some of the test procedures required had not been carried out and the amount not refunded to the patients. Excess charges recovered from the patients defeating socio- economic purpose of establishment of AIIMS at subsidised rates," it added.
On scrutiny of balance sheet for the year 2010- 11, it was found that AIIMS made an advance payment of 56.42 crore to various agencies for procurement of machinery and equipment, stores, books and journals. The payment has yet not been adjusted. In the same year, the institute procured goods worth more than 32.21 crore without issuing tenders -a procedure which is illegal.
The report found instances in which funds were wasted due to delay in projects and lack of fund monitoring. " Delay in completion of work of the Jai Prakash Narayan Trauma centre caused a loss of 6.08 crore and delay in planning and construction of a centre for dental education and research at AIIMS has led to a deviation of 15.43 crore in estimates," the report says.
AIIMS officials have shown favouritism to certain companies, the report adds. " Loss to the institute and government cannot be ruled out. It may also encourage favouritism.
Acceptance of a single tender shows lack of competition to ensure reasonable rates to bring transparency and economy in procurement process of stores," it says.
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