Police in Lusaka have apprehended two individuals for impersonating Medical Doctors at the University Teaching Hospitals (UTH).
The arrests were made yesterday by Kabwata Police Station following a report received at 14:00 hours from Dr. Prince Kanyinda, a 47-year-old Medical Doctor at UTH.
Dr. Kanyinda reported on behalf of the institution that certain individuals were falsely claiming to be Medical Doctors affiliated with UTH.
According to Police Public Relations Officer Rae Hamoonga, the suspects have been arrested for impersonation, forgery, and uttering false documents.
He said the two individuals have been identified as Mr. Amon Muchosa, a resident of Ngombe and a Zimbabwean national, who purported to be a sixth-year medical student at the University of Zambia (UNZA).
The second individual, Ms. Chibwe Kansumba, a resident of Chalala, is an Environmental Health Officer and an employee of Bharat Serum Vaccine Limited.
Mr. Hamoonga disclosed that the suspects, operating within UTH premises, were involved in prescribing services related to National Health Insurance Management Authority (NHIMA) pre-authorization procedures and expensive medications to patients linked with NHIMA.
He said this illicit activity raised concerns, leading NHIMA to question UTH management, who subsequently identified the two individuals masquerading as Medical Doctors under the UTH umbrella.
“These activities have been ongoing from 2017 until July 16, 2024 at UTH in Lusaka. During this period, the suspects have been falsely operating as Doctors under UTH, prescribing expensive drugs to patients. This fraudulent activity prompted NHIMA to conduct an audit, during which UTH management was questioned about the listed doctors prescribing drugs to NHIMA. Upon this query, UTH management alerted the police, leading to the apprehension of the above-mentioned individuals, “Mr Hamoonga explained.
He added, “It has been confirmed that these suspects are not employees of UTH. They have since been detained in custody for the offenses of impersonation, forgery, and uttering false documents.”
Mr Hamoonga has since commended the vigilance of UTH management and NHIMA in uncovering this fraudulent activity and has urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the nearest police station.