‘Second Mpilo audit more extensive’

By Tinomuda Chakanyuka

BULAWAYO – The Minister of Health and Child Care Dr David Parirenyatwa has said the second audit being carried out at Mpilo Central Hospital is more extensive than the initial audit and will cover all hospital systems to unravel alleged irregularities in the manner the institution was being run.

Dr Parirenyatwa made these remarks amid revelations that suspended Mpilo Hospital chief executive officer Dr Lawrence Mantiziba bled the hospital through fundraising activities.

Mpilo Central Hospital held four fundraising activities since 2012, and all the undertakings recorded massive losses as the money raised was far less than expenses incurred while holding the events.

Documents in Sunday News’ possession show that the hospital made losses of more than $50 000 in the past three years it has held fundraising activities. The four activities held between 2012 and 2014 cost the hospital $75 561 to run and only $23 891 was raised in cash, with a number of pledges going unfulfilled.

In December 2012, Mpilo Central Hospital held a resource mobilisation conference at a cost of $12 134 but only managed to raise $11 506. The conference was, however, the most successful as the hospital received a fully equipped ambulance from CBZ Bank.

In July 2013 the hospital held another resource mobilisation function in Harare where it raised a meagre $2 825 against total expenses of $20 375. In October the same year, Mpilo also held another fundraising dinner in Bulawayo which cost $15 930 and only raised $4 624.

The much-talked about donors’ conference that was held last year at the hospital premises, cost $27 122 with the health institution only managing to raise $4 936.

Some of the eyebrow-raising expenses the hospital incurred during the donor’s conference included $3 289 for vegetables, $4 014 for kitchen utensils, $2 840 for a newsletter and $589 for bottled water.

Dr Parirenyatwa, who was unaware of the futility of the fundraising activities, said while the initial audit done at Mpilo focused on procurement, the second audit that his ministry ordered to be carried out at Mpilo would be broader in scope and was likely to pick some of the alleged irregularities.

He said his ministry would not relent in restoring the image of Mpilo Hospital, which he described as the “premier medical institution in the country’s southern region”.

“That’s why an audit committee has been put in place, that’s not only going to audit procurement but will audit the whole hospital systems including such things (fundraising activities) and I’m sure it will be picked up and action will be taken accordingly,” said Dr Parirenyatwa.

Contacted for comment last week Dr Mantiziba declined comment on the matter.
“I’m on suspension and I can’t comment on anything at the moment. I have not seen the papers that you are talking about so I can’t really say anything,” he said.

Mpilo Central Hospital board chairperson Sichelesile Moyo-Ncube could also not comment on the fundraising activities which she said were conducted before her board was appointed.

On the hospital having to be audited twice inside a space of two months, Mrs Moyo-Ncube justified the move saying the first audit had focused on a few specific areas, while the second audit would cover the entire hospital.

“The first audit had a narrow scope focusing on certain specific areas, now this audit that has been ordered is for the entire hospital. I can’t comment much on most of the issues now because of the ongoing audit. I can only start commenting after the audit has been complete,” she said.

Dr Mantiziba was recently suspended together with operations director Mrs Duduza Regina Moyo and chairperson of the central buying unit Mr Mxolisi Sibanda to pave way for investigations into a tender scam that cost the hospital millions of dollars. Dr Mantiziba is being charged with failing to put up structures to prevent fraud at the institution. Sunday News