A CLINICAL officer at Mpilo Central Hospital has been
arrested for allegedly masquerading as a doctor to patients at his private
practice in the city centre.
Prof
Police arrested Watson Mpala (67) at Mpilo on Thursday
after Health Professions Authority (HPA) officials reported him to the police. Part
of the HPA’s mandate is to serve the public interest on health matters.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul
Nyathi said the professional body was tipped by some nurses about Mpala’s
claims to patients that the was a medical doctor.
“The HPA inspectors went to Mpilo Central Hospital after
receiving a complaint from the Nurses Council of Zimbabwe that this man was
masquerading as a medical doctor. After checking they confirmed that the
suspect was not a doctor. Doctors attend to patients, examine and recommend
them for operations and other things. This is what HPA officials are alleging.
What we can confirm is that he was operating at Mpilo Central Hospital, but we
are conducting investigations to establish the period he was doing this,” said
Asst Comm Nyathi.
Mpilo Central Hospital acting chief executive officer
Professor Solwayo Ngwenya said his arrest had nothing to do with his duties at
the hospital.
“He works as a clinical officer but I think now there was a
problem with what he was doing in his private work in town. I understand that
he was deregistered for persistently masquerading as a doctor in town. So that
has nothing to do with us at Mpilo Central Hospital. It’s about his business in
town,” said Prof Ngwenya.
He said the hospital was waiting for the law to take its
course as the decision Mpilo will take will be informed by the outcome of the
investigation.
Prof Ngwenya said in the event that Mpilo gets official
communication on Mpala’s deregistration, he would not be eligible to continue
working at the health institution.
Zimbabwe Medical Association (Zima) president Dr Francis
Chiwora said clinical officers are just nurses who conduct advanced courses
enabling them to conduct minor operations.
He said even when they conduct operations they have to be
under the watchful eye of a qualified doctor.
“So, a clinical officer is just a nurse who does advanced
courses going through various departments and learning more skills. It’s a
bridge between a doctor who has gone through the mill and university as all the
work they do has to be done under the supervision of a doctor. They are not
allowed to work independently. So, they cannot call themselves doctors because
they are not doctors,” he said.
Dr Chiwora said clinical officers are not allowed to open
private practices because private practice consultations are for doctors.
“They can open nursing homes where they can admit patients
for nursing care and these patients are referrred to them by doctors. They
can’t do the clinical diagnosis and treatment care as that is for doctors,”
said Dr Chiwora. Chronicle
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