Some institutes of the Punjab Specialized Healthcare Medical Education Department are paying hefty monthly rent to private buildings, making things difficult for the national exchequer by increasing the financial burden.

Reports say the rent of private properties is many times higher than the market rates, raising the eyebrows of many concerned stakeholders who want the government to inquire into the matter through third parties to bring facts to the public, Dawn News reported.

Documents reveal that four government institutes have been paying over Rs7 million in rent to private building owners for many years. Some officials said that private buildings were being rented despite the health secretariat on Queens Road having enough space to accommodate these institutes to save public money, the newspaper reported.

According to documents, a monthly rent of Rs3.6 million is being paid by various offices of the Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC).

The commission’s three head offices in rented buildings in Lahore are paying around Rs3 million, while offices in other cities are paying Rs600,000 every month, reported Dawn News.

Three of the PHC offices located in Garden Town are paying Rs2.3 million, Rs387,750, and Rs280,000 in rent.

The Multan Region office in Multan is paying a hefty amount of Rs205,000 per month.

Sources told the newspaper the health department has sufficient official buildings in these cities where these institutes can be shifted to avoid the loss of public money.

Poor patients are facing he burden of the situation as they are not getting free medicines or tests.

The situation was so irritating that the five major government hospitals have been declared defaulters of Rs9 billion due to non-availability of funds, reports Dawn News.