Police in Kiambu county are working towards unravelling the mystery under which patients’ National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) claim forms amounting to over Sh1 million, went missing at Thika Level Five Hospital.
The claim forms are reported to have gone missing a week ago in what has brought to the fore a possible racket involving rogue healthcare officers who are suspected to be altering and duplicating the forms and generating hefty amounts from the criminality.
It is suspected that the forms were stolen by angry casual workers who have been struggling to meet their financial obligations following delayed salaries and alleged mistreatment by a senior officer at the hospital’s accounts office.
Sources who spoke to journalists on condition of anonymity said the officer in question has been harassing her juniors by irregularly sacking them.
“The officer has been harassing casuals at the facility by sacking them. The woman is untouchable as she has protection from a senior officer in the health department,” a source said.
However, another source claimed that there has been a cartel of officers who have been enriching themselves through the NHIF scheme.
A senior officer at the hospital acknowledged that the claim forms were missing but assured that necessary steps have been taken to unravel those behind the racket.
“It is true the documents went missing while in a certain office. We have already grilled the people suspected to be behind the theft. We have as a result involved police to help us with investigations,” the senior officer told journalists at the facility.
The matter was reported at Thika Police Station under Occurrence Book number 64/14/06/2023.
Loss of the crucial documents with significant and confidential patients’ information has lifted the lid on the capture of the healthcare department in the county by dangerous cartels.
