Medical officer and security guard arrested over stolen drugs

MUBENDE-   A security guard attached to Misozi Health Centre in Mubende District has been arrested on suspicion that he is part of a gang that has been stealing drugs from the health facility.

The medical officer in-charge of Misozi Health Centre III in Kiganda Sub-county is also being held at Mubende Central Police Station over the same case.

The two suspects were arrested on Tuesday.

The security guard, who was found with two boxes of drugs and a pair of stethoscopes hidden in his house said he had kept the items on instructions of the head of health centre .

Drugs that were recovered from the guard’s house include panadol, aspirin, coartem and amoxicillin capsules.

According to Ms Betty Kasirasi, the chairperson of Misozi Health Centre Management Committee said the security guard had assumed all roles of health workers and could sometimes administer drugs to patients.

“Patients have been complaining about this security guard. They accuse him of demanding money from them in exchange for the drugs which prompted committee members and police to search his house,” Ms Kasirasi said.

During interrogation at Mubende Police Station, the security guard said: “I was given authority to administer injections and giving out tablets to the patients by the officer in-charge. He also gave me keys to all sections of the centre including the store where the drugs are kept”.

But the medical officer in charge of the health centre said the security guard had been hired by “his enemies to tarnish his name”.

 “ I am a medical  professional and I am not stupid to delegate my roles to a security guard .I  think he was paid  some money to implicate me in this case,” he said.

Mr Paul Lyagoba, the Mubende District medical clinical officer said health officers should stop endangering peoples’ lives because of petty cash from stolen drugs.

Mr Patrick Byaruhanga, the Mubende District Police commander said the health worker would be charged with neglect of duty while the security guard will face charges of impersonation.

This is not the first time health workers in the district are implicated in stealing drugs from public health centres and soliciting bribes from patients.

In January, a team from the State House Medical and Health Services Delivery Monitoring Unit arrested two  female medical practitioners at Kasambya Health Centre IV who were  unpacking    Mama kits, given free of charge  and selling the contents to expectant mothers .

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