Equatorial Guinea sacks World Health Organization (WHO) representative over COVID-19 statistics

 

Equatorial Guinea have reportedly sacked a representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) for “falsifying” the country’s figures of COVID-19 cases.

AFP confirmed the news, citing a document from the foreign ministry and a source at the United Nation (UN) health agency

The international news agency claimed World Health Organization representative Triphonie Nkurunziza is accused of “falsifying” the country’s tally of coronavirus cases. But the doctor remains in Malabo for now because there are no outbound flights to enable her to leave the country.

“We don’t have a problem with the WHO, we have a problem with the World Health Organization (WHO) representative in Malabo,” Prime Minister Pascual Obama Asue, told the Senate last week

AFP quotes a source at the United Nation office in the capital, Malabo, as saying: “The government has asked her to go, we have received a document – she is accused of falsifying Coronavirus figures”.

As of Thursday morning, there have been 1306 confirmed cases of COVID-19 Equatorial Guinea with 12 deaths, 200 recoveries, and 1094 active cases.

Last month, Burundi also sacked a World Health Organization’s top official and three experts after they raised concerns about crowded political rallies days before the country's presidential election.