…Security lapse exposed, motive questioned
By Staff Reporter
A shocking scandal has rocked Masvingo Provincial Hospital after a laboratory scientist and technician were arraigned before Masvingo Magistrate’s court for stealing blood from the hospital’s laboratory.
The theft has left many questions in the minds of ordinary people as to what was the intention of the suspects and also the security at the hospital.
The accused Goodson Dzuwalinyenga (50) a laboratory scientist and Tichaona Shindi (36) a laboratory technician appeared before magistrate Arafat Kozanayi on February 26, 2025 facing charges of theft.
The two were remanded out of custody and will be back in court on March 3, 2025 for continuation of trial.
It was the state’s case as presented by Godknows Mugondo that on January 28, 2025 at around 1500 hours at Masvingo Provincial Hospital, the complainant, Masvingo Provincial Hospital, represented by Modina Mashakada (64) was advised by laboratory head Daniel Bvurire that three units of blood were stolen from the bank refrigerator together with 300 blood empty plain tubes red top and 100 x purple EDTA.
Mashakada then checked the cross matched blood register and nothing was endorsed on it to indicate that blood units were collected from the stocks of blood which were in the refrigerator.
On January 31, 2025, the complainant filed a police report and investigations led to the arrest of the two.
Further investigations led to the recovery of 229 red top blood empty plain tubes and 100 purple top EDTA.
The stolen blood was valued at US$750 and nothing was recovered. The red and purple top blood empty plain tubes is US$40 and US$32, 90 was recovered.
In the accused’s defence represented by their lawyer Madock Chivasa, they stated that since 12 people had access to the refrigerator where the blood was stored and it was possible that someone else besides the accused might have taken the blood.
The stolen items are crucial for medical testing and treatment and the theft has send shockwaves to the members of the community who wonder how the blood was going to be used and the lack of accountability at the provincial referral hospital.
TellZim News asked around from Doctors in town who indicated that the blood could be sold to private clinics locally or outside Masvingo.
Sources said the stolen blood was at a named Clinic and the test tubes were sold at another one and both are in Masvingo Town.
Masvingo Provincial Hospital is plagued by corruption, theft and mismanagement putting patient’ lives at risk.
The disappearance of blood and test tubes supplies is just one incident in a long list of scandals.
