Under-reporting COVID deaths, inflated bills, diverting equipment to private hospitals: PAC Report

Bengaluru: A recent report released by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has shed light on alarming irregularities and potential corruption within the Karnataka Department of Health and Family Welfare, raising serious concerns about the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report, tabled before the state legislature, reveals startling revelations, including significant under-reporting of deaths and questionable procurement practices.

According to the PAC report, the state health authorities grossly underreported the true number of COVID-19-related deaths, painting a grim picture of the government's response to the pandemic.

The Directorate of Economics and Statistics provided data showing that between January and July 2021, there were a staggering 4,26,943 deaths in the state. Comparatively, the figure during the same period in 2020 was 2,69,029, indicating a significant increase of 1,57,914 deaths.

Officials from the Health and Family Welfare Department admitted to the PAC that they had reported only 37,206 deaths during that timeframe, artificially reducing the numbers by a staggering 1,20,708.

The PAC report strongly condemns this under-reporting, urging the government to take immediate action and compensate the families of the remaining victims who lost their lives due to the pandemic. It also calls for an independent investigating agency to probe the scam thoroughly and ensure accountability.

Procurement irregularities were another major concern highlighted by the PAC report. Officials within the Department of Health and Family Welfare were accused of inflating bills, hiding documents, and diverting crucial resources meant for public hospitals.

The report revealed that ventilators received under the PM-CARES initiative were supplied to private hospitals instead of being allocated to district and taluk government hospitals as intended.

While the department claimed that the ventilators were returned once the COVID-19 situation improved, the PAC deemed this distribution to private hospitals during the peak of the pandemic as "unjustifiable."

The report further pointed out several other issues, including irregularities in the procurement of essential medical equipment and medicines required during the pandemic. It highlighted discrepancies in the procurement of haematology cell counts, excess expenditure on rapid antigen test kits, and the mishandling of expenditures related to black fungus disease.

The PAC report called for action against officials who failed to provide the requested information, citing instances where the committee was misled with improper data.