Health bosses photocopy A4 paper at sh100,000

By Topista Lamunu

The State House Health Monitoring Unit was on Monday shocked to discover an accountability voucher by the Pader district health officials indicating that two sheets of paper were photocopied at sh108,000.

This was during a session of interrogation by Dr. Diana Atwine, who described the accountability handed to her team as theft with impunity.

Dr. Atwine tasked the District Health Officer, Dr. Alex Layoo, to explain how two sheets of A4 papers are photocopied at sh108,000.

“There is evidence of fraud here. Look at these vouchers of perdiem for instance, how can staff sign for sh40,000 daily to go and monitor activities in Pader health Centre III which is only half a kilometer from their desks?” Dr. Atwine asked. She also queried the unaccounted for funds for the health sector of over sh200m.

Dr. Layoo, who was quiet through most of the session, said the funds in question were for the financial years 2011-2013 when he was not yet the DHO of Pader.

Dr. Atwine also faulted the district engineer, Benedict Lubang, for failing to monitor construction and maintenance works in the various health units in the district.

“In Angagura Health Centre III and Puranga Health Centre III construction of drainable latrines of over sh90m has never been completed, and yet a certificate of completion has already been issued to Temgumi Construction Company,” Dr. Atwine said.

She added that the same construction company is working in four different sites, all with shoddy work.

In his defense however, Engineer Lubang blamed the junior staff in his office for the mess created and promised to follow up.

The team has been in Pader for the last two weeks, investigating misuse of health funds.

Last week three senior officials were arrested for liaising with a microfinance organization to fraudulently deduct salaries of health staff whom they alleged got a loan from the microfinance organization.

Meanwhile, over 70% of drugs in Pader health centers stores are expired.

In a report released by the Health Monitoring Unit from State House, Dr. Atwine said most of the drugs in the different health centers are either expired or will expire in the next three months.

The DHO, Dr. Alex Layoo, said most of the expired drugs were donated to the district by NGOs and other partners.