The State House Health Monitoring Unit has issued a stern warning to health workers in Mityana District over alleged theft and mismanagement of government medicines in public health facilities.
The warning follows revelations that a significant quantity of drugs at Mityana General Hospital cannot be accounted for, raising serious concerns about accountability and service delivery in the district’s health sector.
According to Dr Julian Nabatanzi the Deputy Director of state House Health Monitoring Unit,preliminary findings indicate that medicines worth shs 220 billion is missing, a situation she described as alarming and unacceptable.
“We have discovered that drugs worth a substantial amount of money cannot be properly accounted for at the hospital. This points to serious gaps in accountability that must be urgently addressed,” Dr. Nabatanzi said.
Dr. Nabatanzi further revealed that some health workers are allegedly contributing to the problem by operating private drug shops near government health facilities. These workers reportedly deny patients access to free medicines within hospitals and instead direct them to purchase drugs from their own pharmacies.
“In some cases, health workers prescribe drugs and then send patients to nearby private pharmacies that they own. This is a clear abuse of office and a betrayal of public trust,” she noted.
The Health Monitoring Unit has warned that any health worker found engaging in the theft or diversion of government drugs will face disciplinary action, including dismissal and possible prosecution.
“We are putting all health workers on notice those involved in stealing or mismanaging government medicines risk losing their jobs and facing the law,” Dr. Nabatanzi emphasized.
The State House Health Monitoring Unit say, investigations are ongoing to establish the full extent of the malpractice and identify those responsible.
The unit has reaffirmed its commitment to restoring accountability and ensuring that essential medicines reach the intended beneficiaries.
Residents in Mityana District have welcomed the intervention, expressing hope that it will curb corruption and improve access to free medical treatment in government health facilities