Three Machakos health workers fired over conspiracy to steal

Machakos Level 5 Hospital. [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]

Three Machakos level 5 referral hospital workers have been sacked in connection to the loss of money from patients.

They are Faith Itumo who is a cashier, Janet Ngatia a patient attendant and Felistus Luku a nurse.

It is alleged that they obtained cash money from Urbanus Kioko who is a relative of a patient who was seeking medical services from the hospital.

Machakos Health Executive Dr Daniel Yumbya said that the patient had a bill of Sh10, 800 but he ended up paying Sh5,000 in cash.

"At around 6:30 pm on Thursday, the patient attendant was given Sh5,000 and conspired with the nurse and the cashier to produce a receipt of Sh10,800. The County received Sh100 only," Yumbya said.

He said that the three were intercepted by Decentralised Unit officers when the patient was being sneaked out of the hospital.

While issuing the three with dismissal letters and handing them over to the Machakos police, Dr Yumbya said that there were cartels who were receiving money from patients to sneak them out.

"No government money is going to get lost. Our officers are very keen and the three are going to serve as an example to the rest." He said.

Recently, during the commissioning of Kyumbi Level 3 Community Hospital, Dr. Yumbya said that the county had introduced a digitized system which will help to enhance accountability.

"Our level 5 hospitals had gone paperless. Kenyans will no longer need to carry hospital books to facilities as all medical records are now digitized through the Information Management System." He said.