In the usually quiet corridors of Parirenyatwa and Sally Mugabe Central hospitals, a sinister business is thriving, preying on the pain and desperation of grieving families. A CLOSELY-KNIT syndicate of rogue doctors, nurses, mortuary attendants, and unregistered funeral parlors is running a death-for-profit scam, leaving families devastated and betrayed.
It begins with tragedy. A relative collapses, and emergency medical technicians rush to the scene. But on arrival at the hospital, hope fades quickly as the patient passes on. Protocol dictates the body is moved to the hospital mortuary. Instead, a mortuary attendant approaches the grieving relatives with a message: “Our mortuary is for patients who die after admission or those brought in by the police and it is now full. You need to take the body elsewhere.”
A Masterclass in Manipulation;Confused and distraught, the family is quickly introduced to a representative of a little-known funeral service. These parlors park their hearses conspicuously near hospital gates, like vultures circling their prey. They don’t have refrigerated mortuaries or proper infrastructure, but they move fast. A quotation is hastily drawn up, and the body is loaded into a makeshift hearse. The family is told to meet later at the hospital police post to process documentation.
But here’s the shocking part: the funeral parlor hearse simply drives around the block and re-enters the hospital grounds, delivering the body right back into the hospital mortuary. Behind the scenes, mortuary staff receive a cash kickback. The funeral parlor, having paid its way, uses hospital facilities for a fee far lower than any private mortuary would charge. It’s a clever scam, but one that preys on the vulnerable.
Everyone Eats that is the Culture of Corruption. This hustle isn’t for the greedy, even the cleaner almost gets a share.
Hospital insiders reveal that this corrupt syndicate has been operating for years. “It’s an unspoken agreement,” said one mortuary attendant. “If the family does not have funeral cover, they are pushed to the smaller guys. Everyone eats.” Even some junior doctors and nurses are alleged to receive “referral fees” for directing families to specific funeral parlors. The rot runs deep, deeper that a well dug well.
The implications are dire. Not only is the hospital staff profiting unofficially from unregistered businesses, but families are being manipulated during moments of acute grief. These rogue parlors often operate outside government regulations, compromising the dignity of the deceased and posing public health risks. It’s time for authorities to take action and put an end to this despicable scam. The question is, will they ?
source- heraldonline
