Opposition sacks Health Minister and ACU head over deadly vaccines

Writing by Yusra Ahmed

(Zaman Al Wasl)- The Political Body of the National Coalition has issued an order to sack Adnan Hazori, the Minister of Health in the Interim Government , and Suhair Atasi, Head of the Assistance Coordination Unit (ACU), besides many employees, following Measles vaccination campaign's crisis, which caused death of many children in Idlib countryside, a source reported to Zaman al-Wasl.

Moreover, the source confirmed that Political Body has decided to hold responsibility of Measles vaccination related deaths to the Directorate of Health in Idlib and the staff supervised the campaign, and transfer them to court.

The order discussed the outcomes of the report issued by the investigation team, besides sacking Adnan Hazori, the Minister of Health in Caretaker Government, Suhair Atassi, Head of the Assistance Coordination Unit, Samer Darwish, the Executive Director of (ACU), Khalid al-Milaji, the director of Medical section and Mohammed al-Saed, the Director of Syrian National Committee for Vaccination.

Measles vaccination campaign was launched on Monday 15th September, with hope to reach 48,000 children in rebel-held areas. 690 doctors, nurses and volunteers participated in cooperation with many international Health associations.

Next day 36 children died shortly after receiving the vaccine. Causes of deaths contradicted, some suspected that vaccines were expired or contaminated, while others suspected a criminal incentive supported by Syrian regime.

After investigation, it was discovered that most likely reason was a muscle relaxant used to dilute vaccines instead of the accompanied diluent.

The political Body blamed the National Coalition for its dereliction in finding mechanisms and strategies to rule relations and work flow with the Government and other related bodies besides observation and accountability.

Moreover, blame even targeted Ahmed Tomeh, the Caretaking Prime Minister and its General Secretariat for their dereliction in following up the Minister of Health’s work and Fayez al-Daher, the Minister of Justice, because he did not form a court inside Syria to investigate the case of children’s death.