Mulanje health worker interdicted for ARV scam
The Ministry of Health has interdicted a senior hospital administrator at Mimosa Health Centre in Mulanje, Watson Nguluwe, who is alleged to have been stealing government drugs and then selling them to a Mozambican private clinic.
Mulanje Police arrested Nguluwe three weeks ago after he admitted to an undercover investigation by Weekend Nation to have taken part in abusing Ministry of Health resources.
He spent a few days in custody before being released on bail pending court hearing after industrial action by the Judiciary.
Mulanje District Hospital public relations officer Innocent Chavinda said following the arrest, the district health officer (DHO) Dr. Khuliena Kabwere wrote principal secretary (PS) for Health, seeking recommendations to have Nguluwe interdicted.
Explained Chavinda: “We have been given a go-ahead to interdict him pending trial. Of course, I should mention that he is been verbally interdicted because the authority to issue a formal one rests with the courts.”
He said government will formalise Nguluwe’s interdiction once the Judiciary staff return to work.
Malawi Health Equity Network (Mehn) executive director Martha Kwataine has commended the step taken byWeekend Nation to ensure ‘cases of drug pilferage become history in this country’.
Kwataine said her organisation would provide both financial and technical support to Weekend Nation in its project that aims to rid government departments and ministries of corrupt practices, theft of government resources, fraud and abuse of office by civil servants.
Its a shame that our police is so incompetent so much so that they are now relying on the media to do undercover investigation work for them.
During Kamuzu era we had a functional special branch unit within our police force that used to do this sort of undercover work, no wonder people felt safe in their homes at that time.