By Tabora Bojang
In another twist to the ongoing uproar over the death of children from contaminated medicines, the vice chairman of the National Assembly Select Committee on health Hon Momodou Lamin Bah has disclosed that Health Minister Dr. Ahmadou Lamin Samateh and senior officials of the Medicines Control Agency have been invited to give evidence to before the committee as it probes the death of 69 children.
The deaths have sparked huge uproar among Gambians, with many attributing it to the negligence of the health care system.
According to vice chairman Bah, the Member for Banjul North, the committee will seek detailed information from the minister and the MCA officials to get to the bottom of the AKI disease and ensure those responsible are held to account.
“We have invited the [health] minister and the Medicines Control Agency. We want to get to the bottom of everything that has happened or is happening and we cannot do that without sufficient detailed explanations and engagements. We are indeed very concerned as people’s representatives with a core responsibility to address the needs and concerns of the people. So, if we are in such a situation, we must be very concerned and to see that there is an immediate solution because this is one thing that we can never tolerate,” Bah said.
He further stated that lawmakers will do “everything” in their capacity to dig into this “mess” and ensure appropriate actions are taken.
Bah said the minister and MCA officials are expected to appear this week following the cancellation of yesterday’s sittings.
Meanwhile, The Standard has learned that the Assembly is working on calling an extraordinary session on the AKI crisis.
