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Clinics shut down in Sierra Leone Sierra Leone shuts bogus clinics
(about 6 hours later)
The authorities in Sierra Leone are closing down nearly 50 clinics in the capital, as they say they are staffed by people with little or no training. Nearly 50 illegal health clinics in Sierra Leone are to be shut by officials amid claims that botched operations killed patients.
The deputy minister of health told the BBC people had been killed in botched operations, and that inappropriate treatment was given to patients. The clinics in Freetown were staffed by people with little or no training, who offered inappropriate treatment, deputy minister of health told the BBC.
He also said many of those working in the clinics were foreigners.He also said many of those working in the clinics were foreigners.
Sierra Leone's health care system was badly damaged during the 11 years of civil war that ended in 2002.Sierra Leone's health care system was badly damaged during the 11 years of civil war that ended in 2002.
Many doctors fled the country.Many doctors fled the country.
These people came into our country illegally, and established illegal structures under the pretext of giving out medical services in order to make quick money Mohamed KoromaDeputy Health Minister Diary: Sierra Leone slum medicThese people came into our country illegally, and established illegal structures under the pretext of giving out medical services in order to make quick money Mohamed KoromaDeputy Health Minister Diary: Sierra Leone slum medic
A special task force set up by the health ministry says it has discovered a long and shocking list of medical disasters in the clinics. Medical disasters uncovered by a special task force investigating the clinics included patients being given expensive saline drips which they were wrongly told would cure diseases like malaria and typhoid.
Many patients have been given inappropriate treatment, such as numerous expensive saline drips which they were wrongly told were cures for diseases like malaria and typhoid.
In one particularly disturbing case, a health official described how a man with appendicitis had had his genitals amputated.In one particularly disturbing case, a health official described how a man with appendicitis had had his genitals amputated.
The task force, set up by the health ministry, found a long and shocking list of medical disasters in the clinics.
Deputy Health Minister Mohamed Koroma said the problem was a legacy of the civil war.Deputy Health Minister Mohamed Koroma said the problem was a legacy of the civil war.
"These people came into our country illegally, and established illegal structures under the pretext of giving out medical services in order to make quick money," he told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme."These people came into our country illegally, and established illegal structures under the pretext of giving out medical services in order to make quick money," he told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme.