Fruit vendor, 19, impersonates doctors in Mbarara Hospital

Shirat Namatongo was caught red-handed as she attempted to dress as a paediatric surgical ward health worker in a staff changing area.

CRIME | Police in Mbarara City are holding a 19-year-old woman caught inside Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital in the attempt to disguise as a medical doctor.

Shirat Namatongo was caught red-handed as she attempted to dress as a paediatric surgical ward health worker in a staff changing area.

According to Halson Kagure, the hospital's public relations officer, the suspect had been deceiving patients and extorting money.

"She was damaging the hospital's reputation and we have also just known that she falsely obtained a clinical coat belonging to a Mbarara University medical student,” Kagure said.

Namatongo, on interrogation, confessed to having been illegally working alongside some staff and admitted she is a fruit vendor in Mbarara town.

The 19-year old faces charges of impersonation as police and the hospital urged the public to report any individuals demanding payment for hospital services under false pretenses.

The hospital administration emphasised the importance of contacting them directly if approached by anyone claiming to be a medical professional and seeking payment for services, in a bid to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The hospital has previously suffered cases of child theft where women disguising as caretakers ended up stealing babies with the latest case being in September 2022.