Matukio :Employees in limbo as AMI hospital close business in Dar

Court broker from MEM Auctioneers and General Brokers Ltd Mr. Elieza Mwambo (second right) hands over door keys to Bains Holdings Limited Site Manager Mr Zulfiqar Hassanali (left) as a sign of handing over a premise where AMI hospital used to operate its business, back to the landlord, after AMI was evicted for nun-payment of $ 1.75 million as rent due for 3 years. Right is MEM Operation Manager, Mr. Protches Moshi.

Court broker from MEM Auctioneers and General Brokers Ltd Mr. Elieza Mwambo, speaks to journalists (not in picture) during a handover a premise where AMI hospital used to operate its business, back to the landlord, after AMI was evicted for nun-payment of $ 1.75 million as rent due for 3 years. Right is MEM Operation Manager, Mr. Protches Moshi. 

Fate of employees of Medical Investment Ltd (AMI Hospital, also known as Trauma Center) in Dar es Salaam, is hanging in a balance as the hospital officially closes business in Tanzania.

This was evident yesterday when tens of neglected AMI employees gathered in front of the then hospital building to voice their frustration on how AMI hospitals management was treating their case after the High Court ordered the hospital to vacate premise for nun-payment of approximately $ 1.75 million as rent due for 3 years.

Speaking on behalf of other demanding employees, Roslyn Sesoa who worked for the hospital as a nurse said the management has stopped picking their calls, nobody is communicating to them on what will happen to their contribution to the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) pension funds as well as salary arrears.

“We have gone to NSSF to check how much we have contributed to the fund, but to our surprise, AMI management was deducting our part of the contribution from our salaries, but not remitting the same to NSSF. This leaves a big question on our fate as the hospital is now closed and the management does not want to say anything. 

We are also demanding salary arrears which were being paid in discrimination. We want NSSF management to take action on these private employers who do not remit employees contributions, and when they close business, employees remain stranded,” said Ms Sesoa.

She mentioned that doctors, nurses, receptionists, cleaners and other AMI employees are now stranded as their employment has been cut short without any compensation. This includes local employees and expatriates.           

Implementing the courts order issued earlier this month, AMI assets and the premise were yesterday handed over to the landlord Mr Navtej Bains whom AMI owes approx a sum of $ 1.75 million, due to not paying rent for 3 years.

Speaking to journalists at the premise yesterday during the handover, Mr. Elieza Mwambo, court broker from MEM Auctioneers and General Brokers Ltd, said they had followed all eviction procedures as per the court order by issuing an eviction notice to the hospital and proceeded to give another grace period of one week for the hospital to transfer admitted patients, something which was done in a humanitarian grounds.  

“We have done a very peaceful eviction and we thank God that no patient lost a life in the process. This is because we handled the case carefully knowing that this facility was occupied by a hospital. We have attached all AMI assets which include CT-scan, x-ray machines, three ambulances, one Saloon car (Mark II), special hospital beds, computers, chairs and other hospital gadgets, which will be auctioned to recover part of the rent,” said Mr. Mwambo.

He added that during the auction, they will give priority to an investor who will be interested in renting the premise to use as a hospital. He said the landlord is already in talks with other reputed medical institutions and is eager to get a medical facility running in the same premises so that residents there should continue having medical services next to their door steps.

Mr. Mwambo rubbished the issue of handing over the property back to AMI saying that it would morally be wrong to place a humanity service in the hands of a management whose integrity is questionable. Sources say that AMI was the most expensive hospital in terms of consultation and in patient services in Tanzania.

It is claimed that the court had frozen the AMI's account since January this year and the management was dealing only with cash payments thereafter. Even after the inflow of such huge amounts it is unfortunate that the staff of the hospital have not been paid their salaries and 2 years contributions to NSSF has not been remitted.

The question here is where all the money went if neither the landlord, nor the staff nor the creditors were not being paid, as there is a long line of creditors daily outside AMI hospital building coming to get their dues, but are dodged by the management. 

Inside information has it that several creditors are now in a limbo as the Hospital owes over $4m to them including the biggest creditor being the Landlord Mr Bains, Doctors, Staff, TRA, Pharmaceutical suppliers and other suppliers.