The administration of Soroti Regional Referral Hospital is grappling with serious corruption allegations involving Silver Osako, a laboratory assistant accused of extorting money from patients. The incident has raised concerns about the integrity of the hospital’s services and patient care.
The controversy reportedly unfolded on Sunday, October 5, when Osako, who was off duty, allegedly instructed a colleague to withhold blood from a 4-year-old patient suffering from severe anemia caused by malaria.
Benzy Omoya, the hospital’s Principal Administrator, revealed that the hospital had no blood in stock that day. A good Samaritan, who also had a sick child, volunteered to collect blood from the Mbale Blood Bank. However, only one unit of O-negative blood was available. Upon arrival, half of the unit was transfused to the critically ill child, with the remaining half reserved for another patient.
When Osako arrived at the hospital, he allegedly took control of the remaining blood and directed on-duty staff to withhold it unless payment was made. Omoya expressed outrage over the delay caused by Osako’s actions, emphasizing the danger it posed to the child’s life.
“Imagine a critically ill child going a full day without a necessary blood transfusion because Osako demanded payment before the blood could be released,” Omoya lamented.
This is not the first time Osako has faced allegations of malpractice. Reports indicate he has misled patients by claiming the hospital lacked equipment for certain tests, directing them to private clinics instead. Omoya disclosed that Osako was transferred to Soroti Hospital in 2019 under similar circumstances from another health facility.
The persistent issues surrounding Osako have prompted questions about his continued employment at Soroti Hospital. Omoya criticized the Ministry of Health for failing to act on recommendations to transfer problematic staff.
“We are tired of dealing with such cases. We’ve repeatedly recommended transfers for accountability and better service delivery, but the ministry has remained unresponsive,” Omoya said. He also highlighted the need for regular staff rotations to prevent complacency and corruption.
Osako has not responded to calls or messages seeking his comment on the allegations.
This case underscores ongoing challenges within Uganda’s healthcare system, which include staffing issues, insufficient oversight, and the need for stronger mechanisms to uphold ethical practices in public hospitals.