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| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Momodou |
Posted - 04 Apr 2021 : 09:12:12
Profiting from Pandemic: Coronavirus test results for sale in Gambia
Malagen goes undercover to reveal how some medical workers are accepting bribe in exchange for negative Covid-19 test results
Malagen: APRIL 2, 2021
https://malagen.com/investigations/profiting-from-pandemic-coronavirus-test-results-for-sale-in-gambia/
Lamin Sanneh, a lab technician at the National Public Health Laboratory, collects money after handing over negative Covid result.
The Gambia, like all other countries of the world, has been hit by the global coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. In response, the government introduced some measures including testing for the virus before any international travel. The international travel regulation required all travellers to have negative COVID-19 test results before they could leave the country. However, with that has come frustrations, deepened by the inefficiencies in the COVID-19 testing process.
As a result, some Gambian health professionals have found a new business venture. The product: negative COVID-19 results. And the price is determined, among other things, by the buyer’s nationality and ability to bargain......
Read more at: https://malagen.com/investigations/profiting-from-pandemic-coronavirus-test-results-for-sale-in-gambia/
Watch the Youtube documentary here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2OYrG_0kEc
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| 3 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Momodou |
Posted - 06 Apr 2021 : 20:28:14
Malagen story and the Ministry of Health
By Madi Jobarteh
Your press release raises more questions than offers answers. The sooner a thorough investigation is conducted the better. We hope the public will be duly informed of the outcome of the investigation.
You chose to speak about only 2 individuals when the Malagen story mentioned many more. What about the rest?
Also, the issue is not about only individuals but also about structures and processes at all levels. Therefore this video story is a huge indictment against the Ministry. It reflects the weakness of your systems and the greater threat that poses to public health.
It is obvious that if the Malagen story was not broadcast the Ministry of Health would do little, if any to stamp out corruption and abuse.
We recall how the Minister of Health stood on the floor of the National Assembly to express his frustration at the depth of corruption in his ministry. Since then there is no report yet showing that action was taken. Therefore there’s no guarantee that any action will be taken on this recent story. Prove us wrong!
It is an open secret in town that COVID results are being sold and bought. The Malagen story only confirmed what has been publicly believed. Hence the ball is your court. |
| Momodou |
Posted - 06 Apr 2021 : 20:25:07
6th April 2021
PRESS RELEASE by Ministry of Health
The Ministry of Health wishes to update the public on the recent “Malagen” online video publication “entitled COVID-19 and an Outbreak of Bribery, 2nd April 2021”, featuring Mr. Lamin Nyassi working in the COVID-19 response team and Mr. Lamin Sanneh former Laboratory Staff of both the National Public Health Laboratories and AFRIMED clinic laboratory.
This video is considered with utmost seriousness by the Ministry of Health. It will be investigated and appropriate action will be taken. The Ministry will continue to strengthen the internal controls and procedures to prevent such possibilities.
Mr. Nyassi vehemently denied involvement in selling COVID-19 test results as indicated in the video. However, this matter will further be thoroughly investigated and appropriate actions will be taken. The Ministry of Health does not condone any malpractice as a result investigated any hints of misconduct. A similar allegation had resulted in intercepting a gentleman who is still detained at the police station whilst investigation continue. The public is assured that the Ministry has been making efforts already to strengthen the system even before the production of the video currently in circulation.
Regarding Mr. Lamin Sanneh who was a former staff of the National Public Health Laboratories (NPHL) and AFRIMED Clinic, available information indicates that he was a staff of NPHL up to 2019 when he was found missing during the head count which led to the suspension of his salary and later to his dismissal. Hence, Mr. Sanneh therefore, is not a staff of the Ministry of Health. Since then Mr. Sanneh has not come to work at NPHL as a staff. Subsequently, Mr. Sanneh was said to have started work with AFRICMED as a laboratory staff. His involvement in the COVID-19 work was through AFRICMED but not through NPHL.
During the COVID-19 response and as part of strengthening partnership with the private sector, Mr. Sanneh was trained as a staff of AFRIMED and not NPHL. Until recently barely three (3) months ago, the NPHL was made to understand that Mr. Sanneh has been dismissed from AFRICMED Clinic. The Ministry wishes to inform the public that Mr. Lamin Sanneh is not working with the NPHL at the Ministry of Health and his involvement in the COVID-19 work has nothing to do with the NPHL.
Even though Mr. Sanneh is no longer a health worker under the Ministry of Health but the purported actions which we have no concrete evidence of, are highly condemned by the Ministry of Health as it goes to undermine our collective efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 in The Gambia and beyond. The Ministry assures the public that it will take the allegation seriously and will mount an investigation into the matter immediately and the public will be informed of the outcome of the investigation and anyone found involved in the matter will face the full force of the law.
Similarly, the public is hereby warned about the implication of seeking a negative COVID-19 test result without doing the test both nationally and internationally. The activity only is tantamount to undermining governments’ response efforts and favouring transmission of the infection to family members, friends, neighbours, work mates and the general public here and abroad. It is an offense under the laws of the country to illicitly seek for a negative COVID-19 test results without taking the test.
There are robust measures put in place to ensure that these missteps do not happen again. Now all COVID- 19 certificates must be paid for at a bank and a verifiable receipt number is given before the test is done. This receipt number is also entered in the data base before a certificate is released.
At the sample collection site, there is always a team of minimum two people to ensure that samples are not tampered with. The signature on the certificate is only done by one person. There is also a unique barcode on each certificate to avoid alteration or forgery.
The cases mentioned in the video have been reported to the police station and due process is being instituted by the police. The Ministry had pursued in the past any allegation of corruption it was aware of and these new ones will be no exception.
The Ministry therefore solicits the support and cooperation of the public in this trying time of the investigation and as well as its efforts to contain COVID-19 in the country.
Signed:
Mr. Modou Njai
Director of Health Promotion & Education
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| toubab1020 |
Posted - 05 Apr 2021 : 15:27:22
Yet another example of the work of this fine company ,this time exposing the human greed of mankind .
++++++++++
quote:
Originally posted by Momodou
Profiting from Pandemic: Coronavirus test results for sale in Gambia
Malagen goes undercover to reveal how some medical workers are accepting bribe in exchange for negative Covid-19 test results
Malagen: APRIL 2, 2021
https://malagen.com/investigations/profiting-from-pandemic-coronavirus-test-results-for-sale-in-gambia/
Lamin Sanneh, a lab technician at the National Public Health Laboratory, collects money after handing over negative Covid result.
The Gambia, like all other countries of the world, has been hit by the global coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. In response, the government introduced some measures including testing for the virus before any international travel. The international travel regulation required all travellers to have negative COVID-19 test results before they could leave the country. However, with that has come frustrations, deepened by the inefficiencies in the COVID-19 testing process.
As a result, some Gambian health professionals have found a new business venture. The product: negative COVID-19 results. And the price is determined, among other things, by the buyer’s nationality and ability to bargain......
Read more at: https://malagen.com/investigations/profiting-from-pandemic-coronavirus-test-results-for-sale-in-gambia/
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