In a shocking incident at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo, a fake medical doctor was arrested on Tuesday after being found illegally attending to patients in the facility’s outpatient department.
Details of the Arrest
The suspect, identified as Prosper Mpofu, was caught red-handed providing medical care to patients at the hospital. Suspicion arose when a patient presented an unusual prescription, prompting hospital staff to investigate further.
After scrutiny, medical personnel discovered that the prescription included medication that was inappropriate for the patient’s condition. This alarming discovery led to Mpofu’s apprehension.
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Eyewitness Account of the Incident
A witness, Mr. Thabani Ndlovu, shared his encounter with the bogus doctor. “I found out about him through a friend at church who works for the man. My wife has a heart condition, so we sought his help. We were told to meet him at the hospital. After waiting for a while, we decided to see a legitimate doctor at the outpatient department, and as we were waiting, we finally met with the man,” Ndlovu explained.
Ndlovu further revealed that after meeting with the fake doctor, they were taken to one of the rooms in the outpatient section. This is when hospital officials intervened and arrested Mpofu on the spot.
Prescription Errors Confirmed
ZBC News obtained copies of prescriptions written by the suspect, which showed numerous mistakes, such as incorrect dosages and the misspelling of drug names. These errors highlighted the man’s lack of genuine medical knowledge and added weight to the allegations of his fraudulent activities.
How the Imposter Infiltrated Mpilo Hospital
Hospital authorities explained that the suspect managed to infiltrate the medical facility by disguising himself as a legitimate medical professional. He wore a white coat and carried a stethoscope, giving the appearance of a qualified doctor operating from the outpatient department.
The extent of Mpofu’s activities within the hospital is still under investigation, and authorities are working to determine how long he has been posing as a doctor and whether any harm was caused to patients under his care.
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Confirming the arrest, Inspector Abednico Ncube, spokesperson for the Zimbabwe Republic Police in Bulawayo, stated,
“The individual was apprehended after he was found treating patients without proper qualifications or authorization. We are investigating how he evaded detection for this long.”
