Affaire Softcare : Quel sort pour le ministre de la Santé ?
The director of the Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (ARP) was dismissed last Wednesday during a cabinet meeting. He was undoubtedly brought down by the Softcare affair. After months of inaction, a decision has finally been made.
But should the head of the Director General of the ARP be the only one to roll? The duty to truth and the need to preserve public health recommend going further and tracing the entire chain of responsibility.
The ARP had initially claimed that the Chinese company Softcare had used expired materials in the manufacture of diapers and sanitary napkins, before retracting its statement. This sparked outrage among the inspectors who had conducted the investigation.
Since then, unease has settled over the Assembly of the Representatives of the People (ARP). But no sooner had the ARP's director general been dismissed on Wednesday than news broke on Thursday that the Minister of Health had dismissed Dr. Moussa Diallo, who headed the Directorate of Pharmaceutical Inspection, Market Surveillance, and Vigilance. This sparked outrage from MP Tahirou Sarr, who denounced it as "blatant partisanship."
This attitude actually reflects another problem: that of the Minister of Health. Faced with the controversy, Ibrahima Sy had promised the truth to the Senegalese people. But his statement only sowed more doubt and raised more questions. The minister took up Softcare's cause, while simultaneously handing over the ARP inspectors, bound hand and foot.
The minister's behavior has aroused suspicion among many. The National Assembly was well aware of this when it announced the continuation of its parliamentary inquiry, despite Ibrahima Sy's final conclusions. This distrust from members of parliament towards a minister belonging to their own party speaks volumes about the suspicions.
In truth, the Minister of Health offered no guarantee of impartiality. During the expert review initiated by his department, no precautionary measures were taken against Softcare. The product remained on the market despite serious doubts about its quality. This suggests that Minister Ibrahima Sy and his colleague at the Ministry of Trade, Serigne Guèye Diop, appear to have prioritized economic interests over the health of the Senegalese people.
Moreover, Softcare is emboldened by the authorities' support. Not only has the company launched an advertising campaign, but it is also taking legal action. For over a week, its commercials have been airing during prime-time television hours. This raises questions about the responsibility of the media, which is supposed to protect the vulnerable from the powerful.
In the current climate, a media outlet committed to truth and the public interest should refrain from broadcasting a Softcare advertisement until the situation becomes clearer. The press should even push for greater transparency to compel the authorities to reveal the full truth in this matter.
Certainly, this is not the AFCON, but the Senegalese have every interest in ensuring that the people are not declared to have forfeited and that the trophy is not awarded to the industrialist.
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