Uganda’s State Minister of Health for General Duties disguised herself as a patient and caught two medical workers demanding a bribe for free government services, she told AFP on Saturday.
Health State Minister Sarah Opendi said she wore a face veil and travelled to a hospital in the capital Kampala on a boda-boda (motorbike taxi) to disguise her identity.
“I received many complaints that the staff at the hospital was extorting money from patients,” Opendi said.
She went through normal patient procedures for some laboratory tests for which she was told to pay 150,000 shillings (35 euros, $40) “yet these are all supposed to be free”.
“I told him I didn’t have the money but he insisted.”
She was then sent to fetch the testing strips from a nursing assistant, who asked for money as well.
“I paid her and thereafter I called in the police who arrested the two staff,” she said of Friday’s incident at the Chinese-built Naguru hospital.
Deputy hospital director Dr Stephen Kyebambe expressed gratitude to Opendi for arresting the staff members.
“The minister must be congratulated for unearthing this racket of extortionists at our hospital. We are grateful. Otherwise patients suffer in the hands of these cruel staff,” he said.
The practice of extorting patients is common in Ugandan government hospitals, where medical workers earn as little as $70 per month.
Source: independent.co.ug
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AS WE CONGRATULATE THE MINISTER, WE SHOULD ALSO ASK THE GOVERNMENT TO IMPROVE UPON THE INCOME OF WORKERS. EVEN A SINGLE PERSON (WITHOUT WIFE AND CHILDREN) CANNOT LIVE $70 A MONTH HOW MUCH MORE THOSE GOVERNMENT WORKERS WHO HAVE FAMILIES. WE SHOULD ALL HAVE A FAIR SHARE OF THE NATIONAL CAKE AS AFRICANS.
I salute the minister. This is the type of leader Ghanaians need in order to stop corruption.
wow this is the kind of leaders we are looking for in Africa so that we can check the wrongs in the system. Madam minister i salute you keep it up and God will continue to make you great.
have you forgotten that cocaine turned into connote @ the police headquarters? don't they have the most updated surveillance at the headquarters? its all about corrupt officials not the technology. They will find ways to manipulate evidence. create, loot and share
I second Bogash.
My be emulated by our ministers here...i suggest all hospitals must be mounted with CCTVs to monitor what goes on at the OPD ,most of the nurses are rude and mannerless
I congratulate the Minister for her action. This is what is called EVIDENCE BASED. If this happens in Ghana, the responses will be too harsh, the minister has not acted according to the law, give them a second chance, they did not understand what they are supposed to do. It is about time we in Ghana start something proactive to uproot the deadly virus CORRUPTION.