As Deputy Health Minister blast rotten system … Trade Minister demands investigation into drug deal

Business

Over the recent fire disaster in Kissy which left 14 people dead with many more battling with their lives for want of quality medication, the Minister of Trade Industry and State Enterprises David Carew has requested immediate investigations into the drugs deal at the Ministry of Health and Sanitation. According to the Minister, he signed several duty- free concessions on behalf of the Ministry of Health to clear drugs at customs while serving as the Minister Finance, Development and Economic Planning but was surprised to learn that there was no drug available at the Connaught hospital during the recent emergency situation that continues to claim lives by the day. He alleged that while people were siphoning fuel through a punctured pipe at SAFECON the police were overwhelmed by the crowd and had no alternative but to fire the tear gas canister in order to disperse them but this turned out to be a disaster. He said the situation was a pathetic one, as children, women and men who were seeking their livelihood were involved in that unfortunate incident but noted that the situation tested the capacity of the Sierra Leone Police, the medical services and the Freetown Fire Force. He maintained that the only resolution to that problem is to relocate everybody squatting around that quarry area. For his part the new Deputy Minister of Health and Sanitation Mohamed Koroma attributed the inadequate medical facility to the rotten system he inherited, noting that the Ministry has over 77 doctors with 9 to 10 Medical Directors whom he accused of being engaged in private businesses instead of serving the nation. He vowed to bring sanity into that Ministry by making sure that a sound system obtains where in proper inventory is taken of all assets and the activities of every personnel is closely monitored. He also pointed accusing fingers at some fake NGOs operating in connivance with some ministry officials thereby creating leakages in certain units of the Ministry. He said on Sunday March 25, 2009 when the ugly fire disaster occurred, he was prompted by the gravity of the situation to rush to Tankoro Pharmacy to loan Le 1.2 million worth of medicine to administer emergency treatment to the victims because there was little or no drugs available at the Connaught hospital. Out of 40 cases that were reported 14 have been confirmed dead with others in critical conditions. Meanwhile a huge consignment of emergency relief medical supplies have arrived from Ghana to help ameliorate the desperate medical situation in Sierra Leone.

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