Kathmandu, February 4 The Ministry of Health has been spending a hefty sum on medical equipment, which generally do not come into use, a government report has revealed. The latest report prepared by a high-level committee under the ministry claimed that the ministry spent a huge amount to purchase advanced equipment, without making any cost and benefit assessment. The report underlined several instances of  misuse of state coffers to purchase costly equipment only to be left unused for years. CT-Scan machines in Bheri- zonal Hospital in Nepalgunj and Sagarmatha Zonal Hospital, Rajbiraj remain unused for years due to lack of trained technicians, it said.  “The MoH has spent a huge amount on an anaesthetic machine at Nepal Mental Hospital in Lalitpur although the hospital never needs the same.” The MoH has recently provided budget for the purchase of CT-Scan machine for Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital. “But patients rarely visit the hospital for the service, as it is the specialised centre for infectious and tropical diseases,” added the report. Some zonal hospitals have two USG machines and four radiologists, but hardly provide about 10 USG service in a day. “Why would people go to Sukraraj Hospital for CT-Scan service, when the service are available in Bir Hospital, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital and Patan Hospital,” questioned Dr Ramesh Koirala, a cardiac surgeon at Shahid Gangalal National Heart Center and a member of the committee. He said there were hundreds of examples of money wasted on equipment which never come to use. The report states that the ‘problem lies in the priority of the government and its policies.“It would be better if the government employs technical manpower, increase their salaries or provide grant to hospitals so that they can hire trained hands on contract basis instead of making unnecessary expenditure on such equipment,” the report suggested. The 19-page report submitted to the MoH also highlighted several other anomalies in the health sector as well as flaws in government policies. The MoH had formed a six-member committee comprising Dr Anil Acharya, Dr Subash Acharya, Dr Amod Acharya, Dr Bhabanath Khatiwada and Dr Ramesh Koirala to prepare a report on the efficacy of health care services provided by government health facilities.