HEALTH and Child Welfare deputy minister Douglas Mombeshora has accused the former board members of Mpilo Central Hospital of fleecing the health institution of large sums of money by engaging in corrupt activities.
Report by Khulani Nkabinde Staff Reporter
Mombeshora made the remarks while addressing a Zanu PF campaign rally held at Stanley Square in Makokoba suburb on Sunday. “I visited Mpilo hospital and discovered that things are not alright there,” he said.
“We discovered that there is a lot of corruption within the hospital’s (previous) board.
“Board members had formed their own briefcase companies and were awarding themselves tenders to supply medicine at three times the price.”
Mombeshora said it was for that reason that he fired the hospital’s chief executive officer Lindiwe Mlilo last year and replaced her with Lawrence Mantiziba in October.
Mombeshora said companies that were involved in medical supplies had also approached his ministry and complained that they were submitting tenders to Mpilo Central Hospital, but never received any feedback.
“When I asked the members of the (previous) board what was happening in terms of tenders, they lied to me and said no companies had submitted tenders, not knowing that I already knew the truth,” he said.
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Mlilo yesterday declined to comment over the allegations, referring questions back to Mombeshora.
“Mombeshora is the best person who can clarify that issue. I have no further comment,” she said.
Mombeshora said with the coming-in of the new CEO, he hoped that “things will start to improve at the hospital”.
He said when he toured the hospital, he also discovered that there was poor sanitation.
“We found a lot of dirt there. It was not clean at all,” he said. “The corridors were dirty.”
Mombeshora also said some residents approached him and complained that staff members at Mpilo were ill-treating patients.
“I have also received complaints to the effect that some doctors come to work under the influence of alcohol at the hospital,” he said.
“Bring all those issues to me and we will deal with them. Patients must not be ill-treated.”
