The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) on Tuesday announced it had uncovered a case of embezzlement involving hundreds of thousands of dollars in the ministry’s Drug Demand Reduction department.
 
According to the ministry, former head of the department, Ahmad Fawad Osmani,  transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars to his personal account over the past eight years.
 
MoPH spokesman Kanishka Turkistani said in this time, Osmani awarded contracts to his own company.
 
Turkistani said Osmani is also suspected of misusing his authorities and having ghost staff members in the department.
 
“He had signed all the contracts illegally with a company which was owned by him. Therefore, all the expenses and money was transferred to his personal bank account,” Turkistani said.
 
According to reports, at least three million people are using drugs in Afghanistan and that MoPH is able to treat less than one percent of drug addicts.
 
The public health ministry however said the budget allocated for addicts’ treatment has also been embezzled.
 
A fact finding team recently reported major corruption instances in the MoPH, reports indicate.
 
Commenting on this, chairman of Integrity Watch Afghanistan, Sayed Ikram Afzali, said: “Corruption has existed systematically, but the approach of fighting the phenomenon is not effective.”
 
Turkistani meanwhile said they will continue to investigate Osmani’s corruption case.

When Osmani was contacted for comment he denied the allegations against him.

“Unfortunately the public health ministry has changed into a private company for business ‘on people’s blood’ by Dr. [public health minister Ferozuddin] Feroz and his team. This is a conspiracy and it is far from the reality. It has been plotted by Dr. Feroz and his team,” he said.