Health sector officials appear before PAC over AG report

The Chamber of Deputies’ Public Accounts Committee Monday begun proceedings for accountability as a result of some of the issues raised in the 2014/2015 Auditor General’s report. Such sessions are held annually with the heads of public institutions and accounting officers appearing before the committee members in sessions that are open to members of the public and tasked to explain the irregularities cited in the annual Auditor General’s reports. Today, officials from the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) are the first to appear before PAC. They are appearing this morning. Jeanine Condo, the Director General of Rwanda Biomedical Centre speaks during RBC in public hearings on the Auditor General’s report (2015) conducted by PAC as the acting DG of RBC James Kamanzi looks on. / Nadege Imbabazi In his report, the Auditor General, Obadiah Biraro, raised about 30 queries on how RBC manages taxpayers’ money and drugs, citing cases of unsupported expenditure, irregularities in stock management, expired drugs and adjustments in books of accounts without permission. According to the audit report, drugs and medical consumables, worth Rwf1.2 billion, in RBC/MPDD stock expired between 2010 and 2015. The audit covered state consolidated financial statements and 157 public entities and projects compared to 131 public entities and projects in the previous annual report. It revealed 159 audit “issues” compared to 157 audit reports in the previous report. Theoneste Karenzi, vice chairperson of PAC (R), speaks during the meeting as PAC chairperson Juvenal Nkusi looks on. / Nadege Imbabazi Next will be officials from the Ministry of Health, as well as Kibirizi, Muhororo and Ruhango hospitals, who are due to appear before PAC later today. The hearings sometimes result in administrative or prosecutorial actions against those suspected of gross irregularities in the management of public resources. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Health sector officials appear before PAC over AG report