Ugandan health worker loses 6,7 million bet on World Cup game

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Nasser Kerim, a health worker from Zeu Health Center III in Zombo district in the Northern Region of Uganda is in trouble for losing Shillings 6.7 million (approximately $1,775 USD) meant for the just concluded vaccination campaign in sports betting.

Kerim served as the supervisor for Aka sub-county in Zombo district during the vaccination exercise. He recieved the money in question to facilitate Village Health Teams (VHTs), Local Council chairpersons, and other health workers during the campaign. Preliminary reports indicate that the money was disbursed to Kerim’s account on November 19, 2022, to pay about 240 officials who participated in the door-to-door national polio vaccination campaign in Aka sub-county.

He however didnt the pay the officials as expected. Mark Bramali, the Zombo District Health Officer (DHO) explains that upon interrogation, Kerim revealed that he used part of the money for sports betting in the ongoing world cup but lost the bet.

Grace Atim, the Zombo deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC) wonders why the health worker used the money meant to facilitate officials who worked tirelessly during the mass polio vaccination campaign for gambling. She told this publication that they have tasked Kerim to refund the funds immediately.

Between November 4 and 10, 2022, the Ministry of Health implemented a nationwide door-to-door polio vaccination campaign targeting children aged zero to five years old, as part of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Rotary International and other partners.

Source: dispatch.ug