By Kudakwashe Pembere
Deputy Health and Child Care Minister Sleiman Kwidini has issued a stern warning to nurses accused of soliciting bribes from patients, saying they risk dismissal without the benefit of a disciplinary hearing.
Speaking at the Chitungwiza Central Hospital graduation ceremony on Wednesday, Hon. Kwidini said corruption within the health sector would not be tolerated.
We would like to thank you, but we have a problem with you. Shun corruption,” he said. “This issue of you nurses charging patients, soliciting bribes from patients, fraying into areas you did not learn at school, is not to be condoned. We know nurses and doctors train to treat people with illnesses. The selling of medication is done by other departments—there are accounts and pharmacy departments responsible for this.”
The Deputy Minister said some patients fear visiting hospitals unless they have US$5 to pay as an informal “fee.”
“As I said and I repeat, shun corruption. Shun the soliciting of bribes from patients. They will end up fearing going to the facility after getting the impression that if you do not have the US$5 for the nurse, you won’t get treated,” he said.
Hon. Kwidini revealed that a private investigation unit will be dispatched targetting corrupt staff, particularly in maternity wards, and warned that those implicated will be dismissed outright.
“We know there are rowdy elements, particularly at the maternity ward, which charge extra money to expecting mothers. Dr. Makota, look into this matter,” he said. “The Deputy Minister’s Office will send a private security team. We have the Nurses Council here, the Health Professions Authority and Commissioners from the Health Services Commission.
“We will not hesitate to fire these corrupt nurses, and we will remain with the few. We won’t waste time doing hearings. As long as there is incriminating evidence, we will fire you. We want to remain with those committed to the nursing duty. Nursing is a calling.”
The Deputy Minister also took aim at nursing tutors accused of abusing their positions by demanding bribes or engaging in sexual relationships with students.
“We want to thank the tutors for their training of these nurses. But in this job, there are some who are wayward. We understand there are some tutors taking bribes from student nurses for them to pass,” he said. “We know of tutors in romantic relationships with students for their education. Very soon you will get to know of those whom we caught. We will expose them to show we mean it. A tutor and a student may fall in love with each other, but when we catch you, we will dismiss you.”
Meanwhile, Kwidini announced a review of post-basic nursing requirements, reducing the mandatory period of experience from two years to one.
“We want to encourage nurses and would want to announce that we removed the regulation which stipulated that nurses had to spend two years on post-training experience,” he said. “Upon finishing training, they are to spend a year and can then choose a specialist nursing discipline. So we want to encourage tutors, matrons, CMOs and hospital leadership to promote further education.”
