Expressing strong dissatisfaction with the ministry for its failure to control the epidemic, the CIAA commissioners at a meeting on Tuesday instructed health secretary Shanta Bahadur Shrestha and Director General of the Department of Health Services (DoHS) Dr Senendra Raj Upreti to ensure that sufficient medical supplies are sent to the affected areas and the victims get proper treatment without any delay.
The CIAA summoned Shrestha and Upreti a day after the CIAA regional wings raided the offices of the ministry in Kathmandu and various other parts of the country.
Officials from the anti-graft body raided the ministry, DoHS and five regional health directorates. The CIAA officials raided the offices and seized documents citing irregularities as the authorities failed to send sufficient medical supplies to Jajarkot on time.
Two teams from the CIAA raided the supply division of MoHA and DoHS in Teku. Likewise, they also raided medical stores run by regional directorates.
Bhawani Subedi, press advisor of CIAA, said officials of MoHA and DoHS were summoned to the CIAA office to seek clarification for the delayed response to the epidemic.
"During our raid, we found that the medical stores run by regional health directorates did not have adequate medical supplies. We also found that the government's doctors were reluctant to go the flu affected areas," said Subedi.
He informed that the anti-graft body has also asked the ministry to provide the details of the doctors mobilized in each VDC of Jajarkot for the treatment of the locals affected by the flu.
He said the officials at MoHA denied irregularities in the supply of medicines to the flu affected areas. "We are still investigating the matter," he added.
Related story
Jajarkot section of Mid-Hills Highway in sorry state
