Health workers accused of selling Covid jab certificates

Health workers at Lira Regional Referral Hospital have been accused of selling forged Covid-19 certificates. PHOTO/BILL OKETCH

What you need to know:

  • It is also alleged that those going for vaccination are being charged Shs10,000 in Lira. 
  • As of Monday, the country had registered 125,364 Covid-19 cases, 3,188 deaths and 96,421 recoveries. At least 2,575,021 vaccinations had been carriedout.

Authorities in Lira City and Masindi District have accused health workers of selling Covid-19 certificates to unvaccinated people.

In Lira, the city Covid-19 taskforce accused health workers at Lira Regional Referral Hospital of selling the fake certificates at Shs100,000. 

It is also alleged that those going for vaccination are being charged Shs10,000. 
“This is contrary to the government policy of free Covid-19 vaccinations,” Mr Paul Eseru, the deputy Resident City Commissioner, said in a meeting on Thursday last week. 

Maj Robert Okello, the Lira City Internal Security Officer, said they have already generated names of those involved in the dubious act.

Maj Okello urged the hospital administration to step in to stop the vice.  

Col Chris Wobugabe, a senior intelligence officer with Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) in Lango Sub-region, urged the public to always report such cases for quick action. 

“There is a group of people who are de-campaigning the Covid-19 vaccination programme using social media platforms that the vaccines have negative impacts. This could be the reason some people are paying for vaccination certificates yet vaccination is free and vaccination certificates are also free,” Col Wobugabe said.  

He said they have also got an intelligence report that many teachers are dodging vaccination and paying for the fake certificates. 

Col Wobugabe said they resolved in one of their meetings that complainants should come out so that they are made to record statements at police to enable the arrest and prosecution of such health workers. 

Dr Stephen Obbo, the director of Lira Regional Referral Hospital, when contacted, said he had not yet received any report about health workers charging clients for Covid-19 vaccinations and certificates. 

“Let those officers be reported to me, the Lira Resident City Commissioner or the police,” Dr Obbo told Daily Monitor in a telephone interview on Friday last week. 

Lira City and Lira District have so far vaccinated 24,401 people since the programme started. Out of these, Lira City has vaccinated 17,606 people while the district has vaccinated 6,795 people.   

The certificates are being sold for between Shs60,000 and Shs100,000
In Masindi District, police are investigating reports that some health workers at different Covid-19 vaccination centres are selling certificates to non-vaccinated people. 

Dr Rogers Musinguzi, the head of the Covid-19 Case Management Unit at the district taskforce, confirmed the development.

Mr Musinguzi said some people have been going to his office looking for Covid-19 vaccination certificates. 
“We need to take on these people. They have frustrated our efforts in the fight against Covid-19. Our target is to have everybody vaccinated,” he said in an interview on Monday. 

The Masindi District health officer, Dr Patrick Baguma, said people including teachers, local leaders, and some health workers have refused to take Covid-19 jabs and instead buy the vaccination certificates. 
“If we arrest anyone we shall act against him through prosecution,” he said. 

Cumulatively, Masindi District has registered a total 255 Covid-19 cases and eight new cases are currently being managed at the treatment unit. 

Mr Julius Hakiza, the Albertine police spokesperson, said: “We received the information that some health workers selling Covid-19 jab certificates, we are on ground investigating and if anyone is arrested will be handed over to courts of law.”

Compiled by Patrick Ebong, Charity Akullo & Ismail Bategeka