Charges sought against procurement officer and three bid committee members over inflated laboratory equipment purchases for Addu Equatorial Hospital!

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has decided to seek criminal charges against four employees of Addu Equatorial Hospital (AEH) over the procurement of micropipette tips—a laboratory consumable—at prices significantly higher than the prevailing market rate.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) announced on Tuesday its decision to seek charges against the head of the hospital's procurement department and three members of the bid committee who participated in the meeting where the acquisition was approved.

This issue has emerged following an announcement made by Addu Equatorial Hospital in 2025 regarding the procurement of laboratory consumables required for a four-month period for the hospital and its subsidiary health centers.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) stated that when an announcement was made to procure 40,000 micropipette tips, only one party submitted a bid. The ACC’s investigation revealed that the items were procured in violation of the Public Finance Regulations (Regulation No. 2023/R-158), as the contract was awarded without verifying whether the submitted price was reasonable.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has decided to seek criminal charges from the Prosecutor General’s Office against the following individuals:

• Mohamed Saain Ahmed (Fiyanoomaage, S. Hithadhoo) – Procurement Officer / Acting Head of Procurement Department (Approver of the bid evaluation)
• Azeem Latheef (Everest, S. Hithadhoo) – Senior Healthcare Administration Officer (Chairperson of the Bid Committee that approved the procurement of the item at the price proposed by the company)
• Abdulla Waheed (Thaurugge, S. Hithadhoo) – Senior Customer Relations Officer (Member of the Bid Committee)
• Dr. Fatimath Amani Naseer (Hanhaaruge, S. Hithadhoo) – Pediatrician (Member of the Bid Committee)

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) stated that it has decided to seek charges against the individuals for abuse of official position under Section 513(b) of the Maldives Penal Code. Furthermore, the ACC confirmed its decision to pursue additional charges under Section 517(a) of the Penal Code, for acting in a manner that precludes a benefit to the state in a matter where such a benefit was available.

Furthermore, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) stated that as it has decided to seek charges under Section 517 of the Penal Code, it will also investigate administrative misconduct by Addu Equatorial Hospital staff who acted against the state's best interests. This process will include calculating the total financial loss incurred. The ACC added that it has decided to determine the specific amounts owed by the individuals involved and will issue an order for the full recovery of these funds to the state.