Peshawar, Pakistan: There had been discussions within health sectors of Pakistan that the Sehat Insaf Card (Qaumi Sehat Card/Also known as Insaf Health Card) had been benefiting private hospitals more than patients, and an inquiry report released by the inquiry committee of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Ministry of Health has recommended a comprehensive investigation not only in KPK rather all over Pakistan because a cursory look into the case indicates that Sehat Insaf Card could be one of the biggest scams in medical health in Pakistan’s history.
A sample inquiry report into a record 773 operations in a single disease year in one private hospital under the Health Justice Card was conducted and the inquiry report is enough to expose the volume of possible corruption in the Sehat Insaf Card system.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, under the health care program, the investigation committee’s report of the multi-million scandal in a small private hospital, Ikhlas Medical Center, established in Deer Bala district, was suppressed in the past when the PTI government was in power. When the two-member investigation committee on behalf of the health department prepared its report on the receipt of 2,602 operations under the health care program by the hospital management, it was found that the said private hospital is the only public hospital in the district. The hospital is jointly owned by Dr. Sahibzada Imtiaz Ahmed and Dr. Samiullah, a surgeon at the government hospital.
Surgeon Dr. Samiullah has done 2602 operations in this hospital in a short period of one year, including surprisingly 1826 operations of the appendix. According to the investigation report, out of 1,826 surgeries of the appendix, Dr. Samiullah, a partner in the ownership of the hospital, has performed a record 773 operations, and this was also admitted by the doctor before the investigation committee.
According to the report of the investigation committee, Dr. Samiullah performed these 773 operations in his private hospital as well as 321 operations in the government hospital in one year.
According to the report, Dr. Samiullah performed all the operations on the appendix, while the committee examined the data obtained from the insurance company, and it was also revealed that two and even more than two persons from many families were also operated on the appendix.
According to the report, the government hospital was not allowed by the said hospital to join the panel of Sahat Sahla program, as he used the government hospital as a launching pad for his private hospital. According to the report, Dr. Samiullah received a hefty sum of Rs 30 million from the insurance company for the appendix operations, which is 70 percent of the amount claimed by the private hospital.
According to the report, 10 appendix operations were performed daily in a private hospital, this rate of appendix in Dir Apar district is not only the highest in the country but also in the world, because worldwide the rate of the appendix is 1.2 percent of all operations, however. This rate of appendicitis has been more than 70% compared to the overall operations in the private hospital of Dir Upper district.
The inquiry committee recommended in its report that clinical audits be conducted to detect surgeries on health cards and verification by examining surgical scars from reported families and children to determine whether appendicitis is present. operations were carried out or identity information of the said persons was used only for financial gain.
According to health department officials, the said inquiry is the first formal inquiry into the health card program in the province, with further investigations being considered against more districts and private hospitals following the revelations.
The private hospital administration has said in its statement that the total population of Dir Upper district is about 1.1 million people, the monthly rate of 1826 operations performed in the year (2022) is 150 and the daily rate is five.
However, the hospital’s management states that their hospital provides facilities for hernia, cholecystectomy, C-section, URS, renal stone, tonsillectomy, and appendectomy, with appendectomies dominating as most patients are referred for long procedures. Despite such a large number, the rate of appendicitis per 1000 population is below the average and it is not a surprising figure.
For ready reference, the original Inquiry report can be downloaded by clicking this link
For ready reference, the datasheet of operations can be downloaded by clicking this link
For ready reference, the family-wise-breakup of operation can be downloaded by clicking this link
