Andina

Peru's Health Min: Officials who did not resign over vaccine case will be removed today

Photo: ANDINA/Ministry of Health of Peru

Photo: ANDINA/Ministry of Health of Peru

11:29 | Lima, Feb. 26.

Peruvian Health Minister Oscar Ugarte on Friday announced that the sector's officials —who are involved in the case of irregular COVID-19 vaccination outside clinical trials and have not resigned yet— will be removed from their positions today.


"The majority resigned (…) and part of the recommendation, which is what we are doing immediately because now we have the names of every one of them, is that they must be immediately removed (from their posts)," Ugarte said in remarks to RPP radio and TV station.

"If this has not already occurred, although most of them had already resigned or been removed, those who may still be in office are being removed today," he added.

The Cabinet member explained that the scope of the investigation conducted by this commission focused on the Ministry of Health —in which 49 officials had been involved, ranging from the former Minister Pilar Mazzetti, deputy ministers, and the other members of the sector.

Report

When summarizing the commission's results, out of the 3,200 vaccines delivered outside the regular research process, 1,200 were sent to the Chinese Embassy —the Ministry of Health (Minsa) has already requested information on the matter— and 2,000 were assumed by Cayetano Heredia University (UPCH).

Of the 2,000, 803 remain with Cayetano Heredia University, 58 with San Marcos University (UNMSM) —which were not used and remain in storage— and 235 have been used to vaccinate a fraction of the 4,000 volunteers who received placebo during the clinical trial process.

In addition, 706 vaccines have been administered to the "trial team," which comprises 369 people; while 198 vaccines were earmarked for the "trial-related staff," that is, for 101 people.

"Those who were vaccinated outside the clinical trial amount to 470," Dr. Carbone pointed out at a press conference on Thursday.

(END) JCC/CVC/MVB

Published: 2/26/2021