KARACHI: Despite the release of government funds for maintenance and repairs, the incinerator used to dispose of medical waste at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) has been found non-functional and in a dilapidated condition, prompting the Sindh Health Department to constitute an inquiry committee to investigate the use of funds and the legality of payments.
A complaint submitted to the health department has alleged that various financial irregularities caused losses of Rs4 billion to Rs5 billion to the public exchequer. However, the department’s notification does not specify how much money was released or spent on repairing the incinerator and restoring its operations.
The continued closure and unsafe condition of a hazardous medical waste disposal facility at a major public hospital have also raised serious questions about the oversight exercised by the Sindh Health Department and the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) regarding medical waste disposal, equipment safety and compliance with environmental regulations.
According to the Health Department’s notification, the committee will investigate the utilisation of Maintenance and Repair (M&R) funds during the financial year 2025-26, the legal justification for payments and the current condition of the incinerator at JPMC.
The inquiry follows a complaint against Executive Engineer Ghulam Muhammad Vistro and Munawar, Divisional Accounts Officer at the Karachi Central Electrical and Mechanical Division. Their responses to the allegations were not immediately available.
Additional Secretary General of the Sindh Health Department Zahid Junejo has been appointed chairman of the inquiry committee, while Dr Israr Ahmed Bhutto, professor and head of the Department of Ophthalmology at Jinnah Sindh Medical University, will serve as a member. The committee may also co-opt another member if required.
The committee has been tasked with scrutinising the complete record of M&R fund utilisation, examining the legality of disbursements and identifying those responsible if any irregularities are established.
It will also determine how much money was spent on making the incinerator operational and why the facility remained non-functional and deteriorated despite payments from public funds.
The Health Department has directed the committee to submit its findings and recommendations to the competent authority within 15 days.
Meanwhile, a complaint addressed to Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho has highlighted the deteriorating condition of the incinerator’s machinery, building and internal combustion chamber, alleging that the hospital’s medical waste disposal system is effectively non-functional.
According to the complaint, the building’s basic structure has deteriorated significantly, the main entrance is damaged and the protective refractory lining inside the combustion chamber has severely deteriorated. The complaint also warns of a possible collapse of the chamber’s weakened internal arch.
It further states that electrical wires connected to the motor are exposed and the main control panel is covered in dirt. Operating the equipment in its reported condition could pose risks of an electrical short circuit, fire and electric shocks to the operator.
The complainants have called for a detailed audit of funds released for repairs and rehabilitation, including payment records, work orders and documentation of the work reportedly completed, to establish accountability.
The complaint also claims that efforts to restart the closed incinerator began after the matter was brought to the health minister’s attention. However, it remains unclear who assessed the deteriorated equipment as safe and who authorised attempts to resume its operation.
The allegations have yet to be independently verified, and responsibility for any financial irregularities or negligence will be determined following the inquiry committee’s findings.