The family of a patient who was admitted at the Kitale Referral hospital lost Kshs195, 131 to a person who posed as a medical doctor at the facility.
According to a local daily, the patient identified as Jimmy Maleya was admitted at the hospital on August 8 and placed under the care of Nahashon Simotwa, believing that he was a qualified doctor.
Maleya’s sister exchanged contacts with Simotwa so that she could follow up on her brothers health as she was to travel abroad the next day.
“My daughter requested the medical officer to take good care of her brother as she was traveling to the US and exchanged contacts for follow-up communication on his health,” the patient’s father revealed.
Simotwa however used the opportunity to siphon money from the sister. He informed her that the patient needed a special drug for his ailment. Believing that he was taking good care of his brother, she repeatedly sent him money and in the process Simotwa ended up pocketing Kshs195, 131.Â
“He requested that I send money to purchase a certain antifungal drug which could not be found in Kitale and the industry could not release the drug, unless he went personally to pick it up in Nairobi,” Maleya’s sister said.
When they noticed that they had been conned, they approached the hospital’s administration only for them to be informed that the person who posed as a doctor was a medical student.
The matter was reported at the Kitale Police Station and investigations are underway. The hospital is also under scrutiny following reports that student interns are used by medical staff to con patients.
The intern has since been disowned by Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology where he claimed to be a student.
“None of our students were on internship for the said period. We don’t condone such behavior and any of our students who may be found doing such will be dismissed immediately,” a lecturer at the institution said.
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