Up to 18 times the normal prices paid for Ghor hospital items

KABUL (Pajhwok): Documents show equipment for a hospital in western Ghor province have been purchased 11 million afghanis higher than their normal prices, Pajhwok Afghan News learned reliably.

The documents show a hot water pot was purchased for 19,000 afghanis, a chair for the waiting room was bought 18 times higher the market rate and 43 other items for the hospital

According to the documents, these items were purchased last year in October but hospital sources said the items were yet to arrive in the hospital.

Pajhwok Afghan News received a recommendation letter from the Ghor Health Department written on September 22.

The letter says a contract worth 19,916,095 afghanis for purchase of equipment for a 30-bed hospital in Ghor’s Shahrak district has been signed with Espir Arya Logistic and Food Company (EALFC).

The letter says according to the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH)’s earlier directions, the company had completed procurement procedure of 50 different types of equipment and handed them over to assigned person after proper explanation to the assigned delegation.

The letter asked the MoPH to issue directives to the Ghor revenue department regarding allocation of funds.

The letter signed by Dr. Juma Gul Yaqoubi, the Ghor Health Department Director, asked the finance department of the MoPH to execute the orders.

Pajhwok has received a copy of price list of 50 items purchased by Ghor health department and inquired about the prices of 43 items in the market as well.

The prices of the remaining seven items could not be received because some rates were not too different and some were not accurate.

The prices in the below table are compared with market prices.

These 43 items are purchased against one to 18 times higher the ordinary market prices.

A document and market prices show that chairs for the waiting room were purchased each 18 times higher than the market price, grass cutter machine 14 times higher than the market price, Water Displacer Freezer nine times higher, a table and bed eight times higher, anti-fire balloon and one cabinet four times higher.

In addition, one 130HP printer, one electric and gas heater with 10kg gas balloon and one projector and multimedia purchased three times higher than the market price.

One silicon chair, metallic cabinet, hanger, a lather couch and white board were purchased six times higher than market rates. One hot water pot with the capacity of five liter storage, 1.60 metres desk, 32 inches Sony Television, electric sweeper, clothes cabinet, one green board, air condition services and six metre conference desk purchased four times higher than the market price.

Thirteen more items are purchased two times higher and one Pakistani freezer around one time higher than the market price.

Price comparison table

Difference / Times	Purchased / Afs					Quantity	Purchased Items	No
Difference / Times	Differences of purchased and Market	Total of Marcket price	Unit price in Market	Purchased Total /Afs	Purchased Item /Afs	Quantity	Purchased Items	No
18	8700	9500	500	174800	9200	19	Waiting chair	1
14	268600	21000	21000	289600	289600	1	Lock cutting machine	2
11	77000	80000	8000	850000	85000	10	Water dispenser refrigerator with bucket water	3
9	195500	196000	24500	1760000	220000	8	7-person leather Sofas with tea table	4
9	34000	18000	4500	154000	38500	4	Tea set	5
9	6000	3200	800	27200	6800	4	Single sponge mattress	6
8	33500	67500	4500	570000	38000	15	A desk with 1.40 centimeters	7
8	23142	13600	3400	106168	26542	4	Single bed	8
7	25000	224000	4000	1624000	29000	56	Table next to the bed	9
7	10120	51000	1700	354600	11820	30	Ant-fire balloon	10
7	24800	105000	4200	725000	29000	25	Wardrobe for files	11
6	15200	50400	2800	324000	18000	18	Chair	12
6	16850	50400	3150	320000	20000	16	Wardrobe for Metal spice	13
6	4500	22500	900	135000	5400	25	Hanger	14
6	10800	48400	2200	286000	13000	22	Full leather chair	15
6	7300	48000	1600	267000	8900	30	Whiteboard	16
5	15400	14400	3600	76000	19000	4	Five litters hot water pot	17
5	36000	72000	9000	360000	45000	8	A desk with 1. 60 centimeters	18
5	36600	55200	9200	274800	45800	6	A 32 inch Sonny TV	19
5	15000	60000	4000	285000	19000	15	vacuum cleaner	20
5	20500	88000	5500	416000	26000	16	Clothing wardrobe 80/200	21
4	5200	48000	1600	204000	6800	30	Green board	22
4	4500	22500	1500	90000	6000	15	Requires and installs AC air conditioning	23
4	130000	90000	45000	350000	175000	2	Six-meter conference table	24
3	27800	67200	11200	234000	39000	6	130 hp tri-function printer	25
3	21000	127500	8500	442500	29500	15	Turkish electric and gas heater with 10 kg balloon	26
3	5300	5400	2700	16000	8000	2	Multimedia projector screen	27
3	1900	60000	1000	174000	2900	60	serum stand/holder	28
3	6600	52800	4400	132000	11000	12	Three-seater chair of Metal	29
2	46650	485250	32350	1185000	79000	15	Air conditioning 18,000	30
2	88400	123200	61600	300000	150000	2	2204large copy machine	31
2	500	1400	350	3400	850	4	Afghanis single pillow	32
2	4600	13600	3400	32000	8000	4	Three parts gas brazier	33
2	15500	69000	11500	162000	27000	6	1,200 UPS	34
2	1900	31500	2100	60000	4000	15	Charging light	35
2	2950	73500	2450	162000	5400	30	large dustbin	36
2	137569	236000	118000	511138	255569	2	Zaranj Motorcycle	37
2	950	25500	850	54000	1800	30	Large wall clock	38
2	42000	86000	43000	170000	85000	2	5 Quarry laptop computer	39
2	1200	23400	1300	45000	2500	18	Power strips	40
2	450	12500	500	23750	950	25	Plastic chair	41
2	2000	300000	3000	500000	5000	100	Chinese Curtain with different colors	42
1	21800	352000	44000	526400	65800	8	Middle two doors Pakistani Refrigerator	43

14756356	Government purchased total
3604350	Markets price total
11152006	Difference

Wahidullah Furniture Store, Digcom Computer Store, Abdul QaharAzimi Trading Firms, National Stationery Store, Aminullah Zaranj Store and Anar Dargai Limited have provided these prices of the above items to Pajhwok.

Despite the passage of one year, these goods have not been delivered to the hospital.

Hamayoon Fazal, head of the Shahrak district hospital in Ghor province, told Pajhwok that the purchased items were yet to arrive in the hospital as of October 14th of this year.

He said, “Health officials in Ghor says the equipment have been purchased and would be sent to a hospital once the security situation improved.”

Purchase of unnecessary items:

Hamayoon Fazal said grass cutter machine and Zaranj motorcycles had also been purchased that were not required for the hospital at all.

Pajhwok Afghan News regional reporter asked the Shahrak district hospital director about what equipment he had ordered for the hospital? He said: “The hospital needs a lot of things; we have been offered an operating table, operating room equipment, oxygen, blankets and mattresses and I think all of the items have been purchased.”

Pajhwok made contract with Ghor health director Juma Gul Yaqoobi on October 14 and asked him about the purchased items with higher prices, but he told Pajhwok he would provide information in this regard a day later, but two days after he told Pajhwok he was in Kabul and would provide information once he returned to Ghor.

Nooruallah Taraki, deputy spokesman for the Ministry of Public Health, said the issue has been under the MoPH internal investigation and once the investigation was over, they will share the details with the media.

Pajhwok tried to contact the Spire Aria firms that bought the items but a contact could not be established. The company is registered with the Ministry of Commerce and Industries of Afghanistan and its license number is (D-32179).

Yar Mohammad is head of the firm and Nazar Mohammad is deputy head and they have also purchased a generator based on a contract with the MoPH.

This report has been produced by Pajhwok and financially supported by UNDP and Denmark.

Nh/pk/ma

Language

Up to 18 times the normal prices paid for Ghor hospital items