Patients seeking surgical care at Dokolo Health Centre IV are reportedly being exploited by staff members, who are now under investigation for demanding illegal payments. Three employees from the hospital’s theatre department are accused of extorting money from patients, even though government health services are meant to be free.
These disturbing allegations surfaced during an urgent meeting last week, called after numerous complaints from patients and their families. They claimed staff were charging them significant sums to access surgeries that should cost nothing.
Dr. Samuel Ojok, the District Health Officer, confirmed that his office has received many complaints. He stated that three theatre assistants – one man and two women – allegedly demanded between 100,000 and 400,000 Ugandan Shillings from patients before their operations could proceed.
Dr. Ojok strongly condemned these actions, emphasizing that it is unacceptable for any health worker to charge for free government services. He pointed out that some staff members are accused of taking advantage of emergency situations to extort money from people who are already in a vulnerable state. There are also claims that these individuals falsely used the names of senior doctors to legitimize their demands for money.
Reports suggest that patients who could not afford to pay these illegal fees sometimes experienced delays in receiving the urgent medical care they needed. This situation highlights a serious breach of public trust and a grave injustice to those seeking vital health services. An investigation is now underway to address these concerning practices.