Community Health Inspectors employed by private firms will be provided government-funded tablets, despite the Community Health Inspector Program operating on a contractual outsourcing model. The decision has sparked debate over the use of public funds for resources allocated to privately hired staff working under government initiatives.
According to official details, the government has procured 30,000 tablets in the first phase at a cost exceeding Rs1.5 billion from the national exchequer. These devices are intended to support fieldwork, data collection, and reporting activities carried out by Community Health Inspectors across different regions.
The tablets will be used by temporary employees hired through private firms managing the Community Health Inspector Program. Although these inspectors are not directly employed by the government, they will be equipped with state-funded devices to perform their assigned duties under the program framework.
Sources revealed that the private firm responsible for operating the program is already receiving a separate and substantial payment for managing and running the initiative. This includes administrative oversight, coordination, and operational responsibilities linked to the outsourced health inspection work.
In addition to the current procurement, preparations are reportedly underway to purchase more tablets for daily-wage Community Health Inspectors. These inspectors are employed on a short-term basis, suggesting that further public spending may be required to support technology needs for contractual staff.
The development has raised concerns about the effectiveness of the outsourcing model being followed. Critics argue that providing expensive government-funded equipment to privately hired workers places an additional financial burden on the state and raises questions about transparency, cost-efficiency, and long-term sustainability of outsourced public health programs.
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