Nuusita Ashipala

OSHAKATI - A commotion over a laptop at the Oshakati Intermediate Hospital on Tuesday afternoon led to the unveiling and arrest of the suspected fake intern doctor who has been stationed illegally at the hospital for the past two weeks.
Twenty-four-year-old Saima Mushimba was granted bail of N$2 000 at the Oshakati Magistrate’s Court on Thursday and her case was remanded to July 3.
She was granted bail with conditions she reports herself to the police every Monday and Friday during working hours and does not leave the district of Oshakati without informing the investigative officer.
She faces charges of contravening Section 17 read with section 33 and 36 (d) of the Medical and Dental Act, which is impersonating a medical doctor or student intern, as well as fraud.
Mushimba indicated she would represent herself in the matter.
The Oshakati Intermediate Hospital acting superintendent Dr Fillip Nangombe said Mushimba was allegedly exposed by a man from whom she had allegedly taken a laptop in Windhoek.
The man is said to have visited the casualty ward where Mushimba had stationed herself.
According to Nangombe, Mushimba sought no approval to do internship from the superintendent’s office as is the norm.
Nangombe said approved students usually approach the hospital superintendent who then liaises with the head of the department where an individual is to be placed.
Contrary to the norm, Mushimba pitched up on the day she commenced and told nurses that she was a medical student from Russia and has been assigned to work at casualty.
“She came at a busy time and the nurses just told her to join the other students,” Nangombe clarified.
She claimed she was a fourth year medical student in Russia.
Following the laptop incident on Tuesday, Mushimba denied that she was studying medicine or to have approached the hospital management for approval to do her internship.
A housemate who attended the court hearing said Mushimba informed her that she was employed at a local pharmacy and left home dressed in her white coat to work.
Unlike the Namibian intern doctors who are supervised by their lecturers whilst doing their internship, Mushimba said students studying abroad only have a letter to present to the hospital.
Prosecutor Chrisna Masule appeared for the state with Magistrate Helena Ekandjo on the bench.