Islamabad [Pakistan], October 8 : Pakistan’s largest public-sector hospital, the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), is facing another looming crisis, with the supply of free medicines and essential items for patients at risk because of prolonged procurement delays, as reported by Dawn.
According to Dawn, not a single tender at PIMS has been signed over the past six weeks, raising concerns that existing stocks of medicines and injectables could soon run out. A senior hospital official said the situation had worsened as procurement files continued to remain pending.
Medicines and injections are provided free of charge to all indoor patients at PIMS, making uninterrupted procurement crucial for hospital operations. However, the absence of approved tenders has already disrupted supplies, while available stocks are reportedly declining rapidly.
The latest crisis comes weeks after a fire at PIMS resulted in the deaths of 14 newborn babies on August 26. 
The additional charge of PIMS executive director was initially handed to National Institute of Health (NIH) chief Dr Mohammad Salman. However, he was removed on October 5, after which Prof Dr Tanwir Khaliq, vice chancellor of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU), Islamabad, was given the additional responsibility.
A senior doctor stated that procurement files were accumulating because they were awaiting signatures. The doctor also pointed to the limited involvement of purchase committee members, many of whom hold other departmental responsibilities, as highlighted by Dawn.
A finance department official attributed part of the delay to administrative procedures involving the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). According to the official, changes in authorised signatories can take around two weeks to process, further slowing financial transactions and approvals.
The official, however, said some stocks were still available and efforts were underway to resolve the matter, as reported by Dawn.