‘Govt never lost money’

A 41-YEAR-OLD medical doctor of Livingstone General Hospital has told the Livingstone Magistrate’s Court that Government did not lose any money during the procurement and implementation of counselling services done by a principal nursing officer charged with abuse of authority of office.
This is in a case in which Prosperine Walumba of house number 175 Airport Road in Livingstone is charged with abuse of authority of office.

It is alleged that on dates unknown but between January 1, 2013 and June 30, 2013, Walumba being principal nursing officer at Livingstone General Hospital, abused the authority of her office.
Walumba is alleged to have irregularly engaged her husband Mwape Walumba as one of the trainers for the psychosocial training programme at
Livingstone General Hospital without following laid down procedures.
Livingstone Central Hospital medical superintendent Namani Monze told Livingstone resident magistrate Chinkashi Chilingala that the user department of a service to be procured always requests in writing to his office for approval with specifications.

Dr Monze, of Highlands in Livingstone, said the course is advertised before commencement and the procurement department is fully involved.
“If a person whose services are required should have clearance from a professional body, that has to be sought and once the user department is satisfied then a person can be engaged into the hospital,” Dr Monze said.

He said the hospital is a public institution and management should be aware of what is obtaining at the hospital at any time.
“If a person has to be engaged for sweeping at the hospital, there is no need to seek the authority or guidance of a professional body,” Dr Monze said.

Dr Monze said the psychosocial training programme at the hospital has been generating its own funds.
He added that the hospital does not use government grant money when conducting such programmes but the money comes from the students to be trained.

“We don’t use government grant money as the money that is collected is deposited into the hospital account,” Dr Monze said.
He said a government receipt was issued to the participants and money banked into the hospital account.
“The hospital is a government institution and all programmes are government programmes and, therefore, this programme did not have a specific procedure of procurement,” Dr Monze said.