Arua regional referral hospital (ARRH) has been in the spotlight for theft of drugs and equipment but the public did not have a clear lead to these acts.
In February 2017, police arrested two officials on suspicion of stealing an autoclave machine in the hospital; a year earlier, the district security committee said they were investigating the board and management of the hospital for suspected sale of government drugs in the open market.
Indeed, the regional hospital that also doubles as Arua district hospital had particularly had a ‘cat and mouse’ relationship with the local leaders, district chairman Sam Wadri Nyakua often times voicing open discontent.
For the people who had followed the events in the hospital for all these years, it wouldn’t be a surprise that the authorities there still denied any wrongdoing in the BBC documentary and chose to allocate the blame to individuals.
The investigation team found that the procurement processes at the Hospital are shrouded in fraud and that key equipment has gone missing from the facility under unclear circumstances.
They cited the loss of an autoclave and assorted tools kit estimated at over 500 million Shillings.
Dr Sam Okuonzi, the chairperson of Arua Regional Referral Hospital Management Board says that the equipment in question disappeared over two months ago but was later found in Nebbi and have since been brought back to Arua.
Dr Okuonzi added that over 40 pieces of medical equipment were secretly taken out and resupplied to the hospital. However, he adds, these were all intercepted by an investigative team of police officers and culprits identified.
“But some of the people who were involved are still here that is what we are discussing today. We have decided that we are going to discontinue some of the people who masterminded these acts but those that were misled are going to be warned,” Okuonzi confirmed.
However, according to reports, eight senior staff of the hospital have been arrested in connection to the theft and fraudulent deals. Some of the arrested officers whose details have not been revealed for purposes of not jeopardizing investigations have since been released on police bond, while others are suspected to have been sent on remand.
The investing team of the management board members also indicates that there are serious wrangles among the staff in various departments of the hospital over the management of resources, which has degenerated into rifts among the staff.
Meanwhile Dr Philbert Nyeko, the hospital director says more investigations have been instituted to ascertain the actual gravity of the loss so far incurred through theft and fraudulent deals by some members of the hospital staff.
