Two cleaners arrested over theft of Mbarara Hospital equipment

Authorities escort the two suspects behind the theft of medical equipment at Mbarara Regional Regional Referral Hospital on September 16, 2022. PHOTO/RAJAB MUKOMBOZI

What you need to know:

  • The two prime suspects have been handed to Mbarara Central Police with hope that more criminals will be apprehended.

Authorities at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH) say they have made a breakthrough into unearthing a racket accused of stealing medical equipment from the facility.

On Monday, the hospital’s communication officer Mr Hallison Kagure said this followed the arrest of two MRRH cleaners who allegedly stole an oxygen concentrator from the Toto Ward last Friday.

“We have more often been losing medical equipment from this facility but the perpetrators have been elusive because they are internally facilitated by the cleaners,” Mr Kagure added.

Authorities indicate that the two accused cleaners were deployed at Toto ward where they stole the oxygen concentrator, hid it in medical waste and sneaked it out of the hospital to the outside incinerator plant.

Kagure said when the suspects reached the incinerator, they deposited the medical waste and removed the oxygen concentrator which they hid at makeshift charcoal selling point outside the hospital premises.

“The owners of the charcoal makeshift selling point saw them and became suspicious. They quickly alerted us. That’s how we managed to arrest them,” added Mr Kagure.

“We have a few oxygen concentrators that are used to support patients with breathing problems but also this being stolen from a ward where children are managed would have posed higher risks. It’s also expensive medical equipment,” said Mr Kagure.

The two prime suspects have been handed to Mbarara Central Police with hope that more criminals will be apprehended.

“Theft of medical equipment at this facility has been common with the most recent being that of a patient monitor at the medical ward,” Mr Kagure told Monitor.

Rwizi region police spokesperson Mr Samson Kasasira confirmed the arrests of the cleaners.

“We suspect the two could be part of a bigger racket that has been behind the theft of medical equipment at this hospital. We will produce them in court on theft ,and other related charges after our investigations are complete,” Mr Kasasira said.