Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Belgium is currently embroiled in serious allegations concerning the mistreatment and abrupt dismissal of Mr. Idrisa Kalil, a former Environmental Health Supervisor involved in a humanitarian project in Kenema.
Mr. Kalil, who dedicated several years to the organization, claims that his employment was unjustly terminated following an on-the-job accident.
The controversy began when Mr. Kalil sustained a severe injury while cleaning water tanks that supplied hospitals in the Kenema District. He fell from one of the tanks in an incident that nearly resulted in his death.
After the accident, medical professionals advised Mr. Kalil that he required urgent hip replacement surgeries for both sides and would need to undergo the procedures abroad. However, when he presented his medical report to MSF Belgium, he alleges it was disregarded.
Mr. Kalil’s claims indicate that this lack of support transformed into active hostility from the organization, leading him to feel abandoned.
Despite his injuries, he continued to fulfill his duties remotely, handling phone calls and reports as his condition deteriorated. He informed MSF Belgium about his health issues, but he alleges that the organization remained indifferent to his plight.
With no assistance from MSF Belgium, Mr. Kalil’s family and friends stepped in to cover his medical costs, which amounted to $10,000 for the surgeries performed at the International Hospital in Freetown.
Even after the surgery, Mr. Kalil communicated with MSF Belgium about his recovery needs, yet shortly thereafter, he received an unexpected dismissal from his position.
This sudden termination shocked both him and his colleagues. Mr. Kalil contends that the dismissal was unwarranted, asserting that MSF Belgium failed to adhere to proper procedures, leaving him without severance pay or financial support, and leaving him struggling to provide for his family.
In an effort to seek redress, Mr. Kalil filed an official complaint with the Ministry of Labour in Bo District. The ministry’s investigation concluded that MSF Belgium had treated him unfairly and recommended that the organization refund his medical expenses and fulfill his entitlements.
However, MSF Belgium has reportedly refused to comply with the ministry’s recommendations. Consequently, the Ministry of Labour has issued a notification for industrial court action against the organization.
Attempts to elicit a response from MSF Belgium regarding these allegations have been unsuccessful thus far, but efforts to obtain a statement from them continue as Mr. Kalil pursues justice for what he describes as a grave injustice.