Shock as probe unearths abortion scam at public health facilities

Uasin Gishu County Governor Jackson Mandago addresses the press in Eldoret, on Tuesday. With him is Education Executive Mr Enock Muigei. [PHOTO: PETER OCHIENG/STANDARD]

By PETER OCHIENG

Uasin Gishu County: Uasin Gishu governor Jackson Mandago has revealed shocking findings from an audit carried out on the county’s public health centres.

He disclosed that two facilities were found to have been secretly performing abortions with health practitioners raking in thousands of shillings in the scam.

Mandago said the vice had been rampant before his government stepped in. “Some of these practitioners were in the past operating in a rogue manner. This makes you wonder whether our health officers still adhere to strict ethics demanded in the medical profession,” he said.

Misuse of ambulances

The governor said a probe at one of the facilities revealed that the doctor in charge would open it at 11am and close it at 4pm during which secret abortion sessions would commence.

“To make matters worse, he had illegally employed his wife to help him with the dirty work despite the spouse having no medical training. We have already take action and we have put on notice all health personnel,” he told journalists in a media briefing.

The governor also regretted findings that some of the health personnel have been using ambulances to run personal errands like transportation of charcoal from neighbouring towns to their Eldoret homes. He further accused the nurses of financial impropriety.

Mandago further revealed that more than 70 paramedical staff posted to the county were being paid by the national government yet they were not offering services to residents.

He said the county has a total of 81 doctors, according the Government payroll, yet a spot check at their work stations revealed that only ten were working in the county.

“So we have 71 earning free money. Most of the doctors were pursuing studies at various institutions of higher learning across the country yet their payroll indicated that they were still working in Uasin Gishu County,” he said.

The governor called on the national government to ensure that it updates bio data of all the doctors in the country so as to save them from paying ‘ghost’ workers.

“If a doctor for certain reasons is not at work or is on study leave, it should be known so that proper arrangements are made,” he said.

The infuriated governor said he would send away any doctor found to have gone against the profession’s code of ethics.

The governor’s remarks come a few days after he stormed into a health facility on the outskirts of Eldoret town. He said the probe followed public outcry over poor services.