District health officer arrested for stealing drugs

By Frederick Kiwanuka                       

The Nakaseke District Health Officer, Dr.Badru Sessimba has been arrested in an ongoing operation by State House to curb misappropriation of funds and theft of drugs in the district’s health department.

Sessimba was arrested on Saturday by a team of security personnel from the presidential medical and health service delivery monitoring unit over allegations of financial impropriety and abuse of office.

The arrest followed a month of investigations during which the operation team detectives visited several health units in the district.

Another male nurse at Nakaseke Hospital, David Sekiranda was nabbed with drugs and medical equipped worth over 30m three months ago.

Moses Talemwa, a detective attached to the team, said Sessimba allegedly diverted millions of shillings which were meant for implementing health services in the Nakaseke.

Talemwa said investigations were still on. Sessimba, who was being held at Kiwoko police station on Sunday, was grilled for several hours by the team officials.

Among other allegations, Sessimba is accused of having misappropriated funds which were meant for immunization.

The presidential probe which has been on since last month follows a series of complaints by residents over mismanagement of the health service delivery in the district.