THE government will clear all their outstanding debts as soon as the Controller and Auditor General completes the verification exercise, the Prime Minister, Mr Kassim Majaliwa, has assured workers.
He added that the CAG is currently
conducting a verification on the debts the government owes workers; “and
already he has found discrepancies’’.
Mr Majaliwa made the remarks when
speaking with health workers at the Ruangwa District Hospital during his
official tour, which he also focused on handing over health equipment
to the hospital.
He said some claims were doubtful,
directing municipal directors and internal auditors to verify and
satisfy themselves before forwarding them to the central government for
payments.
“Some of the claims are doubtful...
municipal council directors must satisfy themselves before forwarding
the claims to the central government for payment,” he explained. Citing
an example, Premier Majaliwa said, “one worker’s claim amounts to 30m/,
which is not right at all... some names have been repeated up to four
times.”
Earlier briefing the Premier, Ruangwa
District Medical Officer, Dr Japhet Simeo, said the health department in
the district was facing a debt amounting to Sh109,662,483/-.
He said the debts are from transfers of
health workers within and outside the district, medical treatment and
cost of transporting properties of retired workers.
Dr Simeo explained that the district
council has a system of paying the debts when it receives money from the
central government, noting however that the money from the central
government is small compared to the actual needs of the health workers.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Kassim
Majaliwa has laid a foundation stone for the construction of a medical
shop at the Ruangwa district hospital.
The medical shop will also serve
neighbouring districts including Kilwa, Nachingwea and Liwale in
accessing drugs. Construction of the medical shop within the Ruangwa
district hospital compound is being funded by the Medical Stores
Department (MSD) and will cost 55m/-.
The medical shop will improve access to
drugs in the district hospital and neighbouring hospitals. Prime
Minister Majaliwa said aside from construction of the medical shop, the
hospital will also receive a facelift by constructing a fence to
safeguard it from vandalism.
Premier Majaliwa made the remarks at
Ruangwa district hospital when addressing the hospital’s staff, shortly
after laying the foundation stone.
“I want this place to be the centre for
MSD where those in Kilwa, Nachingwea and Liwale can access drugs and
other medical equipments.
Once the medical shop is in operation
shortage of drugs and other medical equipments will be history,” he
noted. He said the strategy is to ensure drugs and other medical
supplies are available at all times at the district hospital.
“What pains me the most is seeing women,
men, children and the elderly going to hospitals and being told that
there are no medical equipments for conducting tests.
So I will make sure all medical supplies
are available,” he explained. On his part, Ruangwa district Medical
Officer Dr Japhet Simeo expressed appreciation to Premier Majaliwa for
his efforts in improving health services at the district hospital.
“We already have a project to construct a
fence around the hospital, construction of a medical shop,
rehabilitation and expansion of buildings... we are very thankful and
implore you to continue involving stakeholders in solving challenges
facing the district hospital,” Dr Simeo said.
Dr Simeo said through the Premier the
hospital has received asortment of medical supplies amounting to 100m/-
from the Association of soft drinks makers in the country, handed to the
hospital yesterday by MSD Manager Mtwara Zone, Mr Herman Mng’ong’o.
The district hospital also received
medical supplies from VSO amounting to 32m/- for facilitating health
service to premature babies including monitoring machines and
incubators.
No comments :
Post a Comment