Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals has exposed 11 cases of fake doctors this year alone, as people take advantage of the vastness of the country’s largest referral medical institution to fleece unsuspecting members of the public.
The country’s largest referral hospital has recorded a total of 33 cases of fake doctors and other bogus employees in the past year.
Last week, a fake doctor operating at Pari the hospital was caught at a security checkpoint, after producing two identity cards that were different from the name inscribed on his coat.
Across town at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital last week again, another fake doctor was flushed out by the institution after he allegedly exposed himself by holding an X-ray upside down, analysing it in front of a patient.
Both have since been arrested and taken to court, where they separately await trial.
An upsurge in the number of fake health practitioners has become a cause for concern as it exposes patients and other stakeholders to the danger of getting wrong treatment, while being fleeced of their hard earned cash.
In a statement, Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals said it had been rocked by cases of people masquerading as doctors or tutors, among other such employees, as they took advantage of the high number of workers at the country’s biggest hospital.
“Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals has always made efforts to safeguard the public from unscrupulous people who masquerade as our employees, with malicious intentions to fleece unsuspecting members of the public.
“In 2023 alone, 33 offenders were picked up by our Security Department. From January 2024 to date, 11 cases of this nature have been picked up by the same department and dealt with accordingly.
“Bogus doctors, bogus tutors who extort prospective student nurses and thieves who steal from both staff members and patients are some of those criminals who have been picked up and handed over to the police,” said the hospital in a statement.
“Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals is a vast institution with close to 400 doctors of all professional levels and a total staff establishment of close to 4 000. Unscrupulous people take advantage of our vastness and complexity to carry out nefarious activities.
“Fortunately, our surveillance teams remain vigilant and have always apprehended these unruly elements who try to penetrate and abuse our systems.”
The hospital assured its stakeholders that it was above the situation as its surveillance team remains vigilant and would not hesitate to flush out those fake staff members.
“We would like to assure members of the public that the investigations carried out by the hospital have established that the three recently arrested fake doctors did not manage any patient.
“Our surveillance teams shall continue to flush out criminals bent on abusing public trust in our institution,” said management of the hospital.
Last week, Blessing Nyanzira (24) appeared before a Harare magistrate facing impersonating charges after he was caught at a security checkpoint with two different identity cards.
He was remanded in custody to today for bail application.
The court heard that last week on Thursday, Claude Nyangani, the loss control supervisor at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, met Nyanzira while he was on patrol during lunch hour.
Nyanzira was putting on a scrub jacket with his name inscribed on it and a stethoscope on his neck.
The court heard Nyangani monitored Nyanzira as he went to the staff exit security checkpoint and produced two identity cards bearing different names.
Nyangani became suspicious and approached Nyanzira. He identified himself as a medical doctor who was going to Harare’s central business district to meet a Dr Ndarukwa.
Nyanzira allegedly supplied Dr Ndarukwa’s mobile number for Nyangani to verify his identity.
When Nyangani called the said doctor, he acknowledged that he knew the accused, but denied that he was a medical doctor.
In another case at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital, Douglas Garikayi Mutoredzanwa allegedly exposed himself as a fake doctor after he was seen holding an X-ray upside down, analysing it in front of a patient.
He has since appeared in court.
