Government Fires Scientist Over Delayed Covid-19 Test Results

A top Scientist at the Kenya Medical and Research Institute has been relieved of his duties after he failed to submit the Covid-19 test results on time.

Dr.Joel Lutomiah who was once a director at KEMRI’s center of virus research got demoted and asked to resume duty as a research scientist. He was also the chairperson KEMRI Rapid Response team.

According to a local daily, Dr. Lutomiah was demoted after the Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe instructed KEMRI Director-General Yeri Kombe to do so following the delayed results.

“This is further to our meeting with the Cabinet secretary this afternoon on the matter relating to your conduct. You, this morning, delayed the release of Covid-19 laboratory results of the previous evening contrary to an earlier agreement with the Ministry of Health that you release them before 8 am. You, therefore, have failed in your duty to honor a matter that is of national importance,” the letter by Prof Kombe says.

“You, therefore, have failed in your duty to honor a matter that is of very serious national importance. I hereby relieve you of your duties as the Director, Centre for Virus with immediate effect,” read a letter written to Dr. Lutomiah.

With over 40 years’ experience in entomology, parasitology, pandemic influenza, and arbovirology, Dr. Lutomiah will now have to resume a junior position at the institute. Under his leadership, KEMRI which is the largest Covid-19 testing center, conducted over 6000 tests.

However, Dr. Lutomiah’s colleagues said his dismissal was unfair and did not follow the right procedure.

Health CS Mutahi Kagwe said the decision was made due to the sensitivity of the matter Dr.Lutomiah was handling.

Ministry of Health Chief Administrative Secretary Rashid Aman argued that decisions that were made were in line with streamlining and improving the coordination of test results being received in good time.

So far, Kenya has reported 355 Covid-19 cases where 12 more people tested positive on Sunday, April 26, 2020.

Out of the 355 reported cases, 14 people have succumbed to the virus while 106 have recovered.