Mbale Resident City Commissioner-RCC Ahamada Washaki has asked the police to arrest Simon Opio, a doctor at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital for asking for a bribe of 100,000 Shillings before discharging a body for burial. He issued the directive while addressing journalists at his office at Mbale regional block.
According to Washaki, Antony Mutenyo, a resident of Mbale City Northern Division took a patient at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital last week. But unfortunately, the patient passed on. He explained that when the patient died, Mutenyo asked Dr. Opio to write for him a discharge form such that he can hire a vehicle to transport the body for burial.
Washaki says that the doctor refused to discharge the body and demanded a bribe of Shillings 100,000. Mutenyo reportedly failed to raise the money and called the RCC to help him with 100,000 Shillings to pay off the doctor to discharge the body. According to Washaki, he decided to storm the hospital to face off with Opio but found that he had left and turned off his mobile phone.
He has asked the police to arrest Opio to serve as an example to other medical workers at the hospital who are turning the image of the government through extortion.
Patrick Kumili, the Senior Administrator at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital, says Opio is an intern doctor. He said that they are also investigating the allegations, saying that once proven, they summon Opio to the disciplinary committee to defend himself.
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