HANGU: Paramedics across Hangu district on Friday staged a protest against the registration of an First Information Report (FIR) against two paramedics on charges of stealing oxygen cylinders.
The protesters demanded a fair and impartial inquiry into the incident and condemned the lodging of a case against staff allegedly without proper investigation.Addressing the demonstration, Paramedics Association President Luqman, Matiur Rehman, and others said the allegations were baseless and that the cylinders had not been stolen but taken by the contractor for refilling. They warned that if the inquiry proved theft, strict action should be taken or else the medical superintendent (MS) would be held accountable.
The speakers demanded an investigation into the alleged misuse of funds, including Rs 12.3 million allocated under the 2018 ADP ambulance scheme and expenditures from the HMC fund since July 2024.
They accused the MS of using a donated ambulance for personal purposes and illegally rehiring a retired clerk from the HMC fund. Member Provincial Assembly Shah Turab Khan alleged he possessed all evidence of the MS’s corruption. “Those who have been stealing hospital equipment in the past will no longer be spared. The MS will be removed soon and strict action will be taken against him,” he pledged.
On the other hand, Dr Samiullah Bangash, DMS of Shaheed Farid Khan District Headquarters Hospital, said several thefts had occurred in the facility over the years, including the disappearance of a CDE children’s machine, water taps from the mosque, a sheep, and even an ultrasound machine from the women’s ward.
He argued that taking oxygen cylinders out of the hospital premises without notifying the administration constituted theft. “Certain mafias now want to create unrest in the hospital. If the administration does not take action, how can the public be provided relief?” he remarked.
