NAB raids HIV treatment center in Larkana, seizes record

LARKANA: Investigators of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Wednesday raided HIV treatment center in Larkana and seized record, ARY News reported.

Massive financial irregularities were surfaced in the process of drug procurement for the HIV treatment center, sources said and added that the health officials had purchased the medicines from blue-eyed pharmaceutical companies on higher rates and inflicted a huge loss on the national exchequer.

During the raid, officials of anti-graft watchdog also asked questions from the head of the HIV treatment center.

It is pertinent to mention here that NAB had already initiated investigations against Dr Hola Ram, Incharge HIV/AIDS Treatment and Care Center, in a case pertaining to Rs1bn embezzlement. He had been the procurement officer at the Civil Hospital.

Earlier on July 18, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had announced to allocate Rs600mn to control HIV virus in the province.

Talking to a delegation of US organization Gilead Sciences led by its Vice President Clifford Samuel in Karachi today, CM Murad had said, “The provincial government had also established endowment fund of one billion rupees for rehabilitation of HIV affected people.”

He had said over 32,000 people were screened, out of whom more than 900, including over 700 children, were detected HIV positive.

The chief minister had said a new pediatrics treatment center had been established at Children Hospital Larkana and another similar center was being set up at Taluka Heaqquarter hospital Ratodeto.