OF MACOSSANO AND THE CLINICAL TRIAL

I have been following keenly on the issue of Mr. T.O.T MacOssano and his clinical trial through your paper. I applaud the paper for its effort in informing us the general public. However, the chronology of the events looks somehow suspicious. The ................... of today gives the particulars of this gentleman clearly; trained locally as a Clinical Officer and further went to the prestigious Makerere University for a diploma in Palliative Care. Further more he has worked in Malawian Hospitals his entire career, assisting with dedication the Malawian people.

Let me point to some of the facts which I have reservations;

The time that the clinical trial took place and the time the Administrator is writing the PMP Board dissociating the Hospital from the clinical trial is questionable. It is said that the clinical trial took place in 2006 and the Administrator, Mr. Anthony Chilembwe decides to write the PMP Board in 2008, that is two years down the line. In the first place, why did the Administrator not dissociate the Hospital from the trial in 2006 when it was taking (or about to take) place?
Secondly, the Hospital allowed the trial to take place within its premises, why has it decided to dissociate itself now (through its Administrator) when the trial already took place? And should we assume that this is the only clinical trial that indeed Mr. MacOssano has done (within the Hospital or else where)?
The PMP Board is informing the nation that six people died as a result of this clinical trial. These people had cancer (Kaposi’s sarcoma) and were HIV positive, how sure is the Board that the six out of the twenty people died due to the drugs on trial and not from the two conditions? I am asking this because if we go into our hospitals many people with cancer and HIV positive die everyday. Looking at the figures 30% of the people on trial died but the results publicized do not show the individual category results within the trial.

I believe the public would also benefit if they had some background information as to what is happening at St. Luke’s Hospital. In my knowledge, the atmosphere at the Hospital is tense because Hospital Management and some of its employees are in a wrangle concerning allowances the Hospital is giving to administrative staff. Mr. MacOssano happens to be in the group that is fighting that the allowances be extended to every employee as well. Due to failure to reach an agreement by the two sides, the issue was referred to Zomba Labor Office with the employees and Management was given 18th October 2008 as deadline to have the issue resolved.

In view of the facts, I believe that the Administrator’s motive in informing the PMP Board should be questioned and I my opinion just to do away with Mr. MacOssano on the internal issue and to let the Board do this on their behalf was the smart way they opted for. As a Malawian I believe that the spirit of “kuthana naye” is the driving force behind this whole story and it cannot assist in solving the internal problems at St. Luke’s let alone any institution. And the PMP Board should investigate thoroughly before it reacts. And let us desist from referring to him as a Tanzanian whilst all these years he has been in the country.

NOTE: this article was submitted to the local Daily that serialised the issue but was not published