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The President of Medical and Dental Council of Sierra Leone, Dr. David Idrissa Kamara has said in Freetown that nine health workers including Sierra Leoneans, Arabs, Egyptians and Chinese nationals have been arrested and detained while over five Clinics have been shut down for operating illegally in the country.
From New Vision Newspaper, the arrest and closure of the Clinics came in the wake of unannounced inspection tour the Council and law enforcement agency embarked upon to assess and ascertain the Clinics that are operating legally in the Western Area.
Dr. Kamara said they wrote letters to owners of all clinics and hospitals operating the country urging them to regularize their documents before they start operations. He said they discovered that most of these clinics are operating illegally and that the nurses working in these clinics do not have documents that qualify them to operate.
He said the law calls for the people to apply and register with the Council if they want to operate a clinic or hospital. He said they will inspect the buildings, assess the equipment and documents of the nurses working there to ensure they comply with the law before they are allowed to operate.
He said all the nine medical workers arrested are from Al Shifa Arab Clinics at Grafton and Hill Side By Pass Road, Chinese hospital at Kissy Road, Egyptian Hospital at Calaba Town and Al Baraka Arab Clinic at Deep Eye Water among others. He described some of the Clinics inspected as filthy and not good for human habitation.
“We have closed these clinics until they comply with the law. Punitive action will also be taken against all those arrested for violating the laws of the land. This exercise is ongoing until we get rid of these people in society,” Dr. Kamara said, adding that the operations of these illegal clinics have caused more harm on the lives of the people over the years.
