Covid funds return unused from upazilas

The government allocated Tk 300,000 to every upazila health complex last year to manage the Covid-19 emergency. The fund was meant to arrange medical equipment to treat coronavirus patients. But most of the upazila health complexes left the money totally unspent, resulting in return of the funds.

The government has again allocated the same amount of funds for the upazila complexes.

Amid the prevailing Covid-19 crises, many upazila health complexes are found still unprepared. Additional Covid-19 patients from upazila level are referred to general hospitals at district headquarters and medical colleges when the virus infection is surging across the country, particularly in the border districts.

On Thursday, the 72-bed coronavirus unit of Chapainawabganj general hospital was totally occupied. On the other hand, the Covid-19 units at upazila health complexes were almost empty.

The upazila health complexes at Bholahat, Gomostapur, Shibganj and Nachol did not spend a single penny from the Tk 300,000 government allocation.

Shibganj upazila health officer Sayra Khan told Prothom Alo that the allocated money was not withdrawn last year and no expenditure on Covid-19 management was recorded to avoid the next audit.

Bangladesh recorded its first Covid-19 case on 8 March last year. During the first surge of the virus infection, the health ministry allocated Tk 300,000 to every upazila health complex to manage the crises.

The fund was approved to manage Covid-19 treatment, purchase of medical equipment, medicines, gauze, bandage and cotton, chemical reagent, supply of oxygen and others.

Last week, Prothom Alo collected information from 45 upazila health complexes in 11 districts. Among these upazila health complexes, 11 did not spend from the government allocation. Later, the fund was returned. Ten among the 45 health complexes spent partial amount of the funds while 21 spent the funds fully, and three failed to provide financial statements of the funds.

In many cases, the authorities of the health complexes–where the funds were spent– provided indistinct financial statements on the funds.

Citing delay in fund distribution, the authorities who failed to spend the money said they received the fund at the end of previous fiscal year. They did not withdraw the money as it was distributed at the eleventh hour. And they got no specific guidelines on spending the money.

Talking to concerned health officials in Dinajpur district, it was found that the allocated money returned from three out of five upazila health complexes. Officials of the rest spent partial amounts of the funds. Ghoraghat upazila health officer Noor Nawaz told Prothom Alo, “The government allocation was made at the initial period of the pandemic, but there was no patient and we did not spent the money. Why should we face the next audit for spending the money at the eleventh hour?”

The upazila health complexes at Kalaroa, Debhata, Kaliganj and Shyamnagar each have five Covid-19 beds. Asymptomatic Covid-19 patients are primarily admitted to the isolated beds. Any patient detected with Covid-19 is finally sent to the Satkhira Medical College and Hospital.

The upazila health complexes do not admit coronavirus-infected patients. Upazila health officials at Kalaroa, Debhata and Kaliganj said the health ministry returned the allocated fund.

Currently, Covid-19 patients from Gangni and Mujibnagar upazila of Meherpur district are referred to the district general hospital. Officials of the two upazila health complexes returned all the Tk 300,000 to the treasury. Residential medical officer at Gangni upazila health complex, MK Reza said there was no need to spend the money as Covid-19 infection rate had fallen in the upazila when the health ministry distributed the fund.

The Bochaganj upazila health complex in Dinajpur district spent Tk 167,000 from the first installment of the fund. Health officier Abul Bashar Md Sayeduzzaman said, the money was spent in organising the Covid-19 isolation ward, patients’ admission procedures, food supply and sample collection from door-steps.

The upazila health complexes at Badalgachi, Patnitala, Sapahar and Dhamoirhat in Naogaon district spent 60 per cent of the Covid-19 fund.

District civil surgeon ABM Abu Hanif said he has no information about the fund and its management as the health directorate dealt directly with the concerned upazila health complexes.

The Covid-19 fund was fully spent at all the nine upazila health complexes in Rajshahi district. Health directorate officials said the money was spent on food supply for the medical staff, payment of their transport and isolated accommodation costs, sample collection and shipment of samples to laboratory, and purchase of health equipment.

Health officer (recently retired) at Bancharampur upazila health complex, Al Mamun said all the allocated Covid-19 fund was spent in food supply and transportation of the patients, sample carrying, and refreshments for the designated medical stall.

Officials at some upazila health complex refused to provide financial statement for the Covid-19 funds they got. Health officer at Nachol health complex, Papiya Sultana said she was not interested to provide the financial statement.

Shakhawat Hossain and Rashedur Rahman, the health officers at Brahmanbaria Sadar upazila and Akhaura upazila respectively also refused to cooperate.

The second wave of coronavirus hit the country this March. To tackle the emergency, the health ministry on 11 April allocated Tk 144.9 million (14.49 crore) as a fresh Covid-19 fund or Tk 300,000 each for 483 upazila health complexes.

The health ministry arranged the funds from the allocation previously made for the secretariat in the revised budget of fiscal 2020-21.

Upazila health complex officials at Abhaynagar, Chougachha and Sharsha in Jashore district said the second Covid-19 fund is meant for awareness building (campaign), purchase of personal protective equipment, transport cost of sample collection and the cost of isolated accommodation for the Covid-19 physicians.

The Jibannagar upazila health complex in Chuadanga district has not received money from the second Covid-19 fund.

Selima Akhter, who joined as health and family planning officer at Jibannagar on 21 January, said, she did not receive any money from any Covid-19 fund.

Professor Muzaherul Huq, former adviser of the World Health Organisation's Southeast Asia region, told Prothom Alo, hospitals at district headquarters would have been less crowded if the Covid-19 patients were treated at upazila level. Many lives could be saved if there were enough supply of oxygen cylinders, oxygen masks and high-flow nasal cannulas at the grassroots.

He added that most of the upazila health complexes lack skills on utilising the funds they receive as they require approval from their superiors to spend the money.

[Related district correspondents helped to prepare the report]

*This report appeared in the online and print editions of Prothom Alo, has been rewritten in English by Sadiqur Rahman.