Four nabbed in Machakos Level 5 over drugs theft

Four people have been arrested and all security guards at Machakos Level 5 hospital suspended following a crackdown on a cartel that has been diverting drugs meant for the facility to private clinics.

The four were nabbed in a sting operation by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations who acted on complaints that the suspects were selling the drugs at a private clinic at exorbitant prices.

A state of affairs that resulted in detectives visiting a private clinic opposite the Machakos Level 5 Hospital.

They DCI officers found drugs and equipment bearing government batch numbers and labels in the clinic.

Among the recovered items included assorted drugs, reagents and X-ray films.

Speaking to members of the public and the press outside the private clinics, Mutua said he had notified the DCI last week to investigate the theft of drugs and other medical supplies from the county’s referral facility as a result of numerous complaints from patients.

The county boss also instructed the police to investigate all pharmacies and laboratories adjacent the hospital and verify the ownership as it was widely suspected that they belonged to county employees.

“It’s a common trend for patients to be referred to specific pharmacies and laboratories adjacent to the hospital for tests and drugs after being told that our hospitals lack drugs,” Mutua said.

He also told the relevant authorities to clamp down on quacks managing the private clinics as the sting operation also revealed that they were being run by unqualified personnel.

The county chief ordered the suspension of all security officers at the county hospital, pending completion of investigations. He also called for a crackdown on quacks operating clinics in the region, saying they endangered residents’ lives.

The governor later made an impromptu visit to the hospital’s laboratory to assess its operations and equipment.