4 MSD officials suspended over graft
Suspended Procurement director Heri Mchunga.
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The minister said that she was not ready to lose her job for tolerating corrupt officials at a time when the government was waging a concerted war against the vice.
Dar es Salaam. Health Minister Ummy Mwalimu yesterday suspended four MSD officials for alleged misuse of public funds and vowed to deal with the corrupt and under-performing employees in her docket.
The minister said that she was not ready to lose her job for tolerating corrupt officials at a time when the government was waging a concerted war against the vice.
Ms Mwalimu noted that President John Magufuli’s stance on corruption and embezzlement was creating a ripple effect in her docket, such that she felt obliged to root out any of her subordinates who would be caught engaging in any sort of bribery and fraud.
Speaking to reporters in Dar es Salaam, Ms Mwalimu revealed that the four MSD directors who were involved in the alleged misuse of Sh1.5billion, would now receive suspension letters, pending investigations into their suspected involvement in the misdeeds.
They are procurement director Heri Mchunga, Zonal Services and Customers director Cosmas Mwaifwani, Financial and planning director Joseph Tesha and Supply director Missanga Mussa.
“I have already directed the Chairman of the Board to draft suspension letters so that these four, can create room for investigations into the loss of the funds,’’ said the minister.
Meanwhile, the Medical Stores Department Director, Mr Laurian Rugambwa, handed over accommodation facilities worth Sh88.7million to Muhimbili National Hospital, to help accommodate more than 60 women who were sleeping on the floor at the hospital’s maternity block.
Last week, President Magufuli asked 70 officials who were using the Reproductive and Child Heath building located within MNH premises to vacate so that their offices would be turned into a maternity ward. The President gave a 48-hour ultimatum on the directive, and it was duly enforced last Sunday.
According to the Permanent Secretary in the Health Ministry, Dr Mpoki Ulisumbisya, the officials would use government buildings.
The MSD handed over 120 hospital beds, 480 bed sheets and 10 beds for new-born babies at Muhimbili National Hospital, and by noon yesterday, patients who had been sleeping on the floor in the nearby maternity block, were allocated rooms and beds.
The MNH director, Professor Museru, told The Citizen that the surest way to decongest the hospital was to ensure that lower level health facilities were better equipped to serve patients, instead of referring most of them to MNH.
