Karnataka spends Rs 4.95 crore training 3,000 ghost medicos in Hubballi!

A strange event has surfaced in Hubballi, Karnataka, once again highlighting the sheer waste of effort in the state The district receives ten times more medical funding, when compared to other centres in the state But it seems the crores spent on training 'medical staff' has just vanished, since no staff can be found! 

Karnataka's state health department that had spent a mind-boggling Rs 4.95 crore - under the National Health Mission - to train 2,752 doctors in Hubballi alone. In a shocking revelation, it has now come to light that those 2,752 doctors did not exist at all!

In a special audit report submitted in last April, it has been revealed that 2,752 the trainee-doctors - who were on the register - were 'ghost medicos'. Even worse, now the department has no idea how to recover the money spent on these ghost medicos, reports The New Indian Express.

The training was conducted by the Hubballi Health and Family Welfare Training Centre (HHFWTC) three years ago (2014) to fill up thousands of vacant posts in village health centres. Similar training was also conducted in other centres too - Mysuru, Bengaluru and Kalaburagi. While, Hubballi received a whopping Rs 495 lakh for training, other centres received considerably less funds. The Mysuru centre was awarded Rs 31.35 lakh, Bengaluru received Rs 45 lakh and Rs 37.55 lakh was given to Kalaburagi.

"Hubballi received funds almost 10 times more than other centres. This should have raised suspicions in Bengaluru headquarters," reports The New Indian Express quoting an official.

But the irregularity came to light, after three years!

According to reports submitted by Hubballi Centre to the State Institute of Health and Family Welfare (SIHFW), 554 doctors got basic medical obstetric care training, 2,122 staff nurses and midwives were trained in skilled birth assistance and 76 AYUSH medical officers were trained at the centre.

Almost three years since the training was conducted, officials are now clueless as to how to recover the funds. For, Dr Manoli, then principal of the HHFWTC and Dr A Aruna of State Institute of Family Welfare are retired from the service. Besides, due to non-maintenance of records (from 2014-15), no officials have been named for the irregularity. It is reported that AK Ramdurga and VR Gokar were the first and second division assistants during that period, reports The New Indian Express.

An official from the State National Health Mission has told the Express that if the indicted employee is still working in the department, their salary, PF and gratuity would be withheld. Or, if the officials are retired then their properties can be attached.

"I have never come across this issue. I have asked for the file to be put up immediately," Health Commissioner Subodh Yadav told the Express.