By More Matshediso
Pretoria - A health official has been arrested for medical theft in Welkom, in the Free State, after a construction worker alerted police about suspected medication and consumables found in her house.
This was announced by the Head of the Free State Health Department, David Motau, on Tuesday, in a media briefing held in Bloemfontein.
Motau condemned the theft and appealed to community members to report incidents of this nature to police. He said the department will ensure culprits are brought to book.
It is reported that one of the construction workers, who were fixing the official’s house in Thabong, Welkom, discovered medication and consumables and alerted police on 9 July. The official was arrested the same day.
The official was served with immediate suspension by the department.
“The police alerted the district Emergency Medical Service (EMS) and District manager to confirm those medications and consumables.
“Medications discovered were ARV's medications, TB medications and also New Baby Born. Some medications were reported to be out of stock in the country for a while,” he said.
Motau said the medication and consumables were stolen from one of the clinics in Thabong in the Lejweleputswa District.
He said intensive investigations will unfold internally while police processes are ongoing.
The department was worried that the act of stealing was becoming a trend since medical consumables were discovered at Pelonomi Hospital last year, while the province was commemorating International Mandela Day.
In another incident, hospital staff members reportedly stole patients’ food and sold medical equipment to the scrapyard. - SAnews.gov.za
