Month: February 2014

Health minister apologises over HIV transfusion as investigations launched

Minister of Health and Gender Dr Mariyam Shakeela has apologised for the transfusion of HIV positive blood to a patient at the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH), in a press statement issued almost fifteen hours after the incident was made public.

The statement said that “as it happened due to the negligence of a staff working at IGMH” the minister and the ministry “apologised with deep grief” to the patient, the patient’s family, and all citizens of the Maldives.

“Given the modern technological resources and tools established at IGMH to prevent such an incident, the ministry accepts that this incident should not have taken place and this sad incident shouldnt be acceptable for anyone. Today is a sad day unlike any other day this ministry and IGMH has ever seen.”

The ministry said that an investigation was launched as soon as it came to the attention of the government and the hospital, and that the employee found to be negligent was relieved of their duties immediately.

“The ministry assures that, after completing the investigation, strict action will be taken against everyone who is found to have been negligent in this,” read the statement.

Stating that “changing the sorrowful result of this incident is not in the power of this ministry”, assurance were given that all necessary steps are now being taken to prevent such an incident in the future.

Concluding the statement, the ministry requested all health service providers to “learn from the incident” and to be more attentive, kind, and dedicated in providing their services.

Speaking to crowds gathered outside IGMH this evening, local media have reported Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Chairperson ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik has pledged to introduce a no-confidence motion against Dr Shakeela in the Majlis.

The MDP earlier accused the government of delaying the news of the incident – first discovered eight days ago – to allow for celebrations of the government’s first 100 day achievements.

Investigations

Maldives Police Service has confirmed that an investigation in to the incident is being carried out in coordination with the Ministry of Health.

The parliament’s government accountability committee will begin it’s own investigation tonight at 8:00pm,  and will  later summon the minister of health and other senior members of the ministry and the hospital.

Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) has also announced the launch of an investigation as well as expressing condemnation and grief over the incident.

“This commission calls upon the state to provide special protection and care in accordance to international standards for the person who sustained an irrevocable loss in this incident, and to provide health care of the highest standard for the person,” read a press release this afternoon.

The commission noted that the right to life and right to security and safety of the person of the victim have been violated and requests the government and state to ensure the victim and family are provided with their rightful social protection and are not discriminated against in any way.

Requesting that legal action be taken against all responsible parties, the HRCM also demanded the strengthening of regulations and procedures in accordance with international best practices.

In a separate ‘public appeal’ statement today, the commission called on the media and members of the public to respect the grief and privacy of the victim and family, and to refrain from any action liable to cause further harm and distress by willfully imparting false information.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

IGMH transfuses HIV positive blood to patient

Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) has transfused HIV positive blood to a patient due to a technical error in the laboratory, the hospital and Ministry of Health and Gender revealed last night.

According to the hospital, the incident took place on February 3, with discovery of the error not made until February 19. The failure to reveal the incident earlier was, according to IGMH, due to a delay in receiving an internal report on the case.

Conversely, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) had accused the government of covering up the incident so as not to overshadow the government’s celebrations of its first 100 days in office.

At a joint press conference held last night, IGMH Deputy CEO Dr Mohamed Habeeb and Director General at the Ministry of Health and Gender Dr Sheeza Ali apologised for the incident.

Describing it as the “saddest incident in the eighteen year history of IGMH”, Dr Habeeb sad he was sharing the news with “grief and shame” and that he “apologised to the patient, the patient’s family, and all citizens of the Maldives”.

Reassuring that the services provided at the public hospital are safe, Dr Habeeb said the hospital has “state of the art” laboratory equipment and that the incident was caused by the “negligence of an individual”.

After investigating the case it was found that the lab technician was aware that the blood was infected even at the time it was taken, continued Habeeb, adding that the technician had subsequently reported the blood to be clean.

The technician in question has been suspended and the case reported to Maldives Police Service.  According to the hospital, no acts of negligence had been noticed from the technician in his previous seven years of employment.

Speaking at the press conference, Habeeb said the incident had brought some issues within the hospital to light. He assured that those issues would be addressed and all arrangements would be made to prevent any future incidents.

Just yesterday it was revealed that the hospital had been forced to suspend certain surgical procedures after it had been unable to procure the necessary safety equipment.

According to the ministry, immediate treatment has been started for the patient by the government as per WHO guidelines. As all information regarding HIV patients are held as confidential by the state – in accordance to WHO guidelines – no details of the patient or the donor were revealed.

However, local media outlet Haveeru has suggested that the patient is a Maldivian woman and also that she is pregnant.

Cover up and negligence

The MDP has promptly accused the government of a cover up, with a press release issued today accusing authorities of deliberately hiding the issue until the administration’s first hundred day celebrations were over.

“They deliberately kept the news from the public in order to show that those hundred days are not dark and terrifying days”.

The party has compared the cover-up to the murder of prisoner Evan Naseem in 2003, the fallout from which accelerate the country’s democratic reforms.

Condemning the incident, the MDP described it as as a reflection of the current status of health sector in the Maldives, accusing the government of neglecting the health affairs of the people and destroying public trust in the sector.

The party stated that blaming a single individual for the incident was a matter of concern and that the heads of the health sector had not taken responsibility. Despite repeated attempts, at the time of press Minivan News had been unable to get a response from senior figures in the Health Ministry or IGMH, including Minister of Health Dr Mariyam Shakeela.

MDP MP Mohamed ‘Shippe’ Shifaz – a member of the parliament’s government accountability committee – today said  that the Health Ministry would be summoned to the committee regarding the matter.

State minister for Fuwad Gasim said the ministry was trying  very hard to manage the situation and bring about necessary changes.

“Of course we are very much saddened and it shouldn’t happen..but unfortunately it has happened and we will take the necessary action regarding the people involved in it,” he said.

Fuwad also noted the importance of having medical negligence act, saying that – as there is no such law currently in force –  that  medical professionals should be careful.

A medical negligence bill was drafted by MP Rozaina Adam in 2011, though she today explained that the legislation is currently stalled in the Health Ministry.

“I sent it for their comments and it has been with the ministry since then. Another issue was, when it was discussed with medical professionals, they suggested that it should come with another bill related to administration and the health services bill. But that bill was drafted by the ministry,” Rozaina said.

With or without the comments of the ministry, stated Rozaina, the bill will now be sent to the parliament for discussion as soon it returns from recess.

Since the first case of HIV in 1991, 19 cases of HIV have been reported among Maldivians, while the estimations of HIV positive persons are as high as 70 – 100.

The Health Ministry has previously warned about a possible explosion of HIV/AIDS in the country, with high risk behaviour such as drug use and numerous sexual partners a concern.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

ACC, Civil Court orders Islamic Ministry to halt bidding process for Hajj groups

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has ordered the Ministry of Islamic Affairs to halt the bidding process for selecting Hajj Groups to accompany Maldivian pilgrims and to revise the criteria for awarding quotas.

Following an investigation into alleged corrupt practices, the ACC revealed in a press statement today that it identified nine issues with the regulations (Dhivehi) formulated by the ministry for evaluating bid proposals, which was published in the government gazette on February 12.

The ACC investigation was prompted by a complaint lodged at the commission alleging that the regulations were being used to unduly benefit certain parties.

The ACC decision came on the heels of a stay order (Dhivehi) issued by the Civil Court this morning ordering the ministry to halt the bidding process pending a ruling on the validity of the regulations.

The stay order or injunction was granted in a lawsuit filed by two Hajj groups – the Abatross and Minaa groups – contending that the bidding process was unfair.

Among the issues identified by the ACC was a new requirement for interested parties to submit bank statements – dating back six months – of the company’s management account and money depositing account.

Companies were also required to submit details of employees who would be accompanying pilgrims as well as documents proving their experience.

While 15 percent of marks were to be awarded for experience, the ACC noted that the regulations did not specify how experience would be measured or graded.

Moreover, while companies were required to submit details of ticket prices along with their proposal, the ACC noted that it would depend on the quota, which was to be decided by the ministry following evaluation of bids.

In addition, the commission found that there were no guidelines to evaluate the proposed price (45 percent of marks) and the quality of service (30 percent), whilst the ministry had not set a ceiling for the quoted price.

Based on its findings, the ACC ordered the ministry to revise the issues identified in its investigation report – shared with the ministry today – before resuming the bidding process.

Of the 800 pilgrim quota afforded to the Maldives by Saudi Arabia, 400 were reserved by the government’s Hajj Corporation while the rest were to be divided amongst companies chosen from the bidding process.

The proposals were to be submitted to the Islamic Ministry at 10:30am today.

The bidding process for Hajj groups was marred by controversy in 2013 as well. In May, the High Court overturned a Civil Court ruling in which the trial court ordered the Islamic Ministry to reevaluate several unsuccessful bids presented by local Hajj groups.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Finance Ministry restrictions will not obstruct Majlis polls, says EC

The Elections Commission (EC) has said that recent financial restrictions in acquiring the election budget will not have any impact on the upcoming parliamentary elections.

In all elections following the cancelled first round of last year’s presidential elections, the Ministry of Finance and Treasury have not released in bulk the total budget required for each election.

The ministry has instead been required to pays bills and release funds for individual requests after having reviewed if the expenditure fits the criteria of the programme.

Following yesterday’s second EC advisory committee meeting in preparations for the March vote, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Spokesman Hamid Abdul Ghafoor said that the commission owed MVR12 million in pending bills after delays at the Finance Ministry.

A ministry official explained to Minivan News that, if the ministry is convinced the money is required for elections, there will not be any restrictions in releasing the funds. Though the decision was made at policy level, he acknowledged that  it might have been due to budget shortages.

EC President Fuwad Thowfeek has said that, even with these difficulties, the commission is able to mange the expenditures with cooperation from the ministry.

“We are managing. I can assure that these restrictions will not obstruct the election. It will be carried out as planned,” said Thowfeek.
Fuwad was also of the view that the restrictions could be the result of budget shortage.

“Now we are using the office budget mostly. But the Finance Ministry is releasing funds as we spend,” he noted.

Meanwhile, the parliament’s government accountability committee is planning to question the finance ministry regarding the issue. A committee member confirmed today that a request has been made.

The EC is currently on trial at the Supreme Court on contempt charges. After using newly introduced procedures to both initiate and oversee contempt of court charges against the EC, the court has subsequently deemed privileged Majlis testimony to be admissible in the case.

The EU, the Maldivian Democratic Party, and local civil society groups have all expressed concern over the case’s effect of the EC’s independence ahead of the March 22 Majlis elections.

The commission members have now been asked to attend the Supreme Court this Saturday (March 1) at 1:30pm to sign their statements.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Maldives National Oil Company seeks assistance with oil exploration

The Maldives National Oil Company (MNOC) has revealed that it will begin advertising the country as a destination for oil exploration as early as April, local media has reported.

MNOC Managing Director Ahmed Muneez told the press yesterday that the recent release of a seismic reports – initiated in 1991 by Royal Dutch Shell – had prompted the state-owned company to seek further foreign assistance.

“We have contacted a Norwegian company and a German company to help us better understand the findings of the study. Based on this report, we’re hopeful of advertising the Maldives as a new destination of oil exploration,” Haveeru quoted Muneez as saying.

He explained that an outside company would be hired to conduct a global advertising campaign in order to market the country as an oil source.

Prior to last year’s presidential elections, both the Jumhooree Party candidate Gasim Ibrahim and – eventual victor – Progressive Party of Maldives Abdulla Yameen promised oil exploration to supplement the country’s tourism industry.

The national oil company was formed in 2003 in order to assist the government’s attempts to diversify the economy, which still relies on tourism for 70-80 percent of GDP. The company’s activities include making preparations for the country’s third attempt at oil exploration.

“The fact that two leading oil exploration companies in the world had invested in exploration drilling in the Maldives, keeps up the glimmer of hope for commercial success of oil and gas exploration in the Maldives,” explains the MNOC.

“Today, with the remarkable improvement of technology in the area of oil and exploration such as three or four dimensional seismic survey systems etc., the Maldives National Oil Company is hopeful that oil or gas can be discovered in Maldives.”

Better known for its pristine beaches and clear waters – and more recently its vulnerability to climate change and commitment to carbon neutrality – the search for oil in the Maldives predates its famous tourism industry.

Information available on the MNOC website explains that the French oil company Elf Aquitaine embarked on exploratory projects in the Maldives as early as 1968. After experimental wells were drilled in 1976, it was discovered that the deposits at the site were not economically viable.

A second attempt at exploration came fifteen years later, with Shell conducting seismic surveys and drilling an exploration well in Ari atoll. Again, current market prices meant that the project was deemed financially unappealing.

Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb has previously told Minivan News that Maldives’ environmental image and commitments are no obstacles to developing of an oil industry.

The Maldives is “a big nation, and places not in marine protected zones or tourism areas could be explored for oil, like in the less developed north,” he explained.

The Maldives has previously been listed by the UN as one of the world’s most oil-addicted nations,  importing US$488 million in petroleum products in 2012 – equivalent to around one fifth of GDP.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Criminal Court acquits MDP MP Jabir of cannabis possession charges

The Criminal Court has ruled that the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Abdulla Jabir was not guilty of possessing cannabis when police raided his uninhabited island – Hondaidhoo in Haa Alifu atoll – in November 2012.

Jabir is currently in Malé jail after the court sentenced him to twelve months after finding him guilty of refusing to provide a urine sample for police to run a drug test.

A total of 10 people were taken into police custody on November 16 after police raided and searched Hondaidhoo with a court warrant. Officers alleged they found large amounts of “suspected” drugs and alcohol upon searching the island.

Seven of the suspects, including the MDP MPs Hamid Abdul Ghafoor and Jabir were among those charged.

At the time, police submitted cases against former SAARC Secretary General and Special Envoy to the former President Ibrahim Hussain Zaki, former President’s Office Press Secretary Mohamed Zuhair and his wife Mariyam Faiz. The manager of Jabir’s resort J Alidhoo Jadhulla Jaleel and Zaki’s son Hamdan Zaki also face charges.

Yesterday Jabir’s legal team appealed his recent conviction at the High Court, claiming that the trial had violated the MP’s constitutional rights.

Meanwhile, Jabir is still facing as additional trial for possession of alcohol relating to the Hondaidhoo incident.

According to the constitution, any additional time added to Jabir’s sentence will result in the MP being stripped off his seat in parliament and barred from running in the upcoming parliamentary election. After surviving disciplinary proceedings within the party, Jabir had been scheduled to re-contest his Kaashidhoo seat next month.

Article 73 of the constitution states that a person shall be disqualified from election as a member of the People’s Majlis – or a member of the People’s Majlis immediately becomes disqualified – if he has been convicted of a criminal offence and is serving a sentence of more than twelve months.

Additionally, the same article states that if a person has been convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to a term of more than twelve months – unless a period of three years has elapsed since his release – or he has been pardoned for the offence for which he was sentenced, he will also be disqualified.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Shihab elected mayor, Shifa deputy mayor

Former Home Minister Mohamed Shihab has been elected mayor of the capital by fellow councillors on the newly-elected Malé City Council.

Former Education Minister Shifa Mohamed was elected deputy mayor. Both were elected with unanimous consent of the 11-member council following its swearing-in ceremony last night.

In the January 18 local council elections, eight candidates from the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and three candidates from the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives were elected to the council.

Abdulla Sodig was meanwhile elected mayor by the six-member Addu City Council while Abdulla Thoyyib was elected deputy mayor. All six councillors were elected on opposition MDP tickets.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Haveeru journalist released without charges

A journalist from newspaper Haveeru based in Addu City who was arrested yesterday has been released without charges.

According to the local daily, Ahmed Adshan was released after five hours in police custody. He was told that there was “nothing to investigate” while keeping him in custody.

Adshan was detained allegedly for taking photographs of police officers in plainclothes who were frisking people at the Feydhoo harbour.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Nasheed warns Supreme Court against interference in Majlis elections

Former President Mohamed Nasheed warned Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz Hussain last night against Supreme Court interference in the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for March 22.

Speaking at a campaign launching ceremony for two Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) candidates, Nasheed said last year’s presidential election was “taken away from us by the Supreme Court.”

“The island council, atoll council, and city council elections have slipped from their fingers by God’s will while they were unaware. Now we are coming to the People’s Majlis elections again. If the People’s Majlis election is stopped, you could not place a bigger obstacle to the country’s development,” he said.

Supreme Court Justices “should know very well that the people of the Maldives will not forgive,” Nasheed said.

“And do not think that the courage of the Maldivian people has flagged. No, when they have to take to the streets, they will,” he said.

“If you decide to halt our elections, remember that we live on this land too. Keep in my mind, our Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz, know that we too grew up in this island. As long as we are on this soil, you cannot keep perpetrating injustices against our people.”

The Maldivian people were not indifferent or willing to “remain in a state of shock or fear,” Nasheed continued, adding that the people have “found courage from one another and moved past their fear”.

“We cannot remain still, we cannot give up the hope of our children and children’s children, we cannot give up the Maldives,” he said.

Suo motu

The Supreme Court summoned members of the Elections Commission (EC) on February 12 and began a surprise trial on charges of contempt of court. The apex court invoked new ‘Sumoto’ or ‘Suo motu’ regulations that allow the court to initiate hearings and act as both prosecutor and judge in a trial.

The court contends that criticism by EC members of its decision to annul the first round of last year’s presidential election – citing a secret police report that has since been dismissed by a UN expert review and questioned by the Human Rights Commission of Maldives – constituted contempt of court.

Nasheed meanwhile declared last week that the MDP will boycott the parliamentary elections if the Supreme Court removes EC members ahead of next month’s polls.

Speaking at a campaign event on the night before EC members were summoned, Nasheed accused parties in the ruling coalition of colluding with the Supreme Court to delay the Majlis elections as they were “certain of defeat.”

“In my view, an election conducted with the Supreme Court exerting influence over the Elections Commission to deliberately commit electoral fraud or rig the vote will not be a legitimate election – in my view, MDP should not participate in such an election,” Nasheed said.

Neither the international community nor the Maldivian public would accept general elections boycotted by the MDP, he insisted.

In his speech at a campaign launching ceremony on Monday night for MDP MP Imthiyaz Fahmy, Nasheed said judicial reform was the most pressing issue facing the Maldives at present.

Neither the chief justice nor other judges should think that the public would cease calls for reform or stop criticising the judiciary “out of fear,” he said, declaring that the party would “not back down in the slightest”.

Referring to the alleged sex tape of Supreme Court Justice Ali Hameed, Nasheed said the party’s concern was not with Hameed’s indiscretions but with the presence of “compromised” judges on the bench who were susceptible to “blackmail”.

While the new constitution was adopted to move away from the autocratic and unjust practices of the past, the Supreme Court has taken on powers to investigate, prosecute, conduct trial, and deliver verdicts on their own accord, Nasheed said.

“The fundamental basis of the reform that the Maldivian people wanted was ensuring that the prosecutor and the court that hears the case are separate. Persons must have the assistance of a lawyer to defend themselves from accusation of a crime,” he said.

“It is the prosecutor general who should prosecute on behalf of the state. We wanted to see separated powers of state [but] today we are seeing the Supreme Court negate the character of the constitution we wished for.”

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)