Hospital worker steals from patients

A RECEPTIONIST at the Mariental hospital, who allegedly tried to steal from injured tourists admitted to the hospital, has been suspended.

During the early hours on Saturday four tourists – two from Poland, one from Germany and one from the United States – were admitted to the Mariental hospital after their car overturned on the Maltahöhe road.The receptionist allegedly approached the patients and requested N$200 from each for ‘admission fees’ but they only gave him N$10.According to the Police the official waited until the patients were sleeping, sneaked into the room and grabbed a handbag. Some of the tourists woke up and alerted the security guards, who chased the suspect and recovered the handbag.The police were called and the tourists pointed out the receptionist as the culprit but did not want to press charges against him.Yesterday morning the receptionist was back at work as normal.Health Permanent Secretary Andrew Ndishishi was furious when he heard that the receptionist had not been suspended immediately. ‘We cannot allow to keep him there. He will be suspended and we will arrange for disciplinary steps against him,’ Ndishishi told The Namibian.He said the hospital should look after its patients and cannot employ someone who tries to rob injured people.