Three Machakos health workers fired over theft of cash from patient

Machakos Health Executive Daniel Yumbya during a press briefing at Machakos Police Station on October 27, 2023. Dr Yumbya fired three county health workers after they conspired to steal money from a patient before they were locked up at the station. [John Muia, Standard]

Three Machakos Level 5 referral hospital workers have been sacked after they allegedly stole money from a patient.

The three, a cashier, a patient attendant and a nurse, allegedly obtained money from a relative to a patient who was seeking treatment at the hospital.

Health Executive Daniel Yumbya said the officials connived with a patient who had a bill of Sh10, 800 to pay just Sh5, 000, in cash. All payments are made electronically.

"At around 6:30 pm on Thursday, the patient attendant was given Sh5, 000 and conspired with the nurse and the cashier to produce a receipt of Sh10, 800. The county received Sh100 only," Yumbya said.

He said that the three were intercepted by officers as the patient was being sneaked out of the hospital.

While issuing the three with dismissal letters and handing them over to the police, Dr Yumbya said there were cartels that were receiving money from patients and sneak them out of hospital.

"No government money is going to get lost. Our officers are keen and the three are going to serve as an example to others with similar intentions," he said.

Recently, during the commissioning of Kyumbi Level 3 Community Hospital, Yumbya said the county had introduced a digitized system which will help to enhance accountability.

"Our Level 5 hospitals have gone paperless. Kenyans will no longer need to carry hospital books to health facilities as all medical records are now digitized through the Information Management System," he said.