A third year student of Soroti University has been arrested on allegations of soliciting a bribe of Shs 148,000 from diabetic patients, Soroti Regional Referral Hospital Management has confirmed.
Cyrton Mutambi a medical student at Soroti University was arrested on Thursday morning and detained at Soroti central police station after a tip off from patients at the outpatient department of Soroti Hospital complained to the hospital management.
Mutambi was deployed by Soroti University to Soroti Regional Referral Hospital to do his internship.
Soroti CPS District Police Commander Buyinza Twaha, confirmed the development and the arrest, adding that investigations are ongoing.
“The doctor has been arrested and detained at the police station pending investigations,” he said, adding that if proved that the suspect solicited money from the patient, he will be charged and prosecuted in the courts of law.
Soroti Regional Referral Hospital Principal Hospital Administrator Omoya Benzy said that the suspect was soliciting money from outpatients department belonging to diabets patients.
He noted that the Diabetes clinic at Soroti RRH only operates on Friday and it seems like the doctor has been soliciting money from unsuspecting patients.
“He came to the hospital in the morning and instead of going to Medicine ward he opted to go to Diabetes ward. He was reported picking money from every patient. Within one hour he had collected shs148,000. It’s sad for such a young person to participate in such acts,” Omoya said.
Omoya has however, cautioned health workers to desist from such acts, saying it’s not only the highest form of unprofessionalism but also illegal.
“This is to sound a warning to the rest of medical personnel to desist from corrupt tendencies because whoever will be caught in the hospital wil face the law, accordingly,” he said.
Residents and patients at the government aided hospital have on several occasions accused health workers of charging of them money before they get the services.
“The extortion of money from patients at this facility is a common habit and we have lived with it for long,” Omoya said.
On behalf of the hospital Director Omoya condemned the actions of the student.
“We strongly condemn such acts and the management of the hospital has promised tough measures to address such issues, including illegal charging and other unethical behaviors, “he said.