This archive report was first published on 17 July 2020.
Lancet CEO Takes Break from Social Media Amid Probe into Lab's COVID-19 Results ¶
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has ordered a probe into laboratories producing unclear COVID-19 results, including those of Pathologists Lancet Kenya, which has come under fire for producing conflicting results.
On July 17, 2020, Kagwe directed the medical board to immediately begin a probe into the matter, urging Kenyans to avoid visiting labs that have been producing unclear results.
"It is true that there is one lab, specifically Lancet, that carried out these tests that eventually turned from positive to negative. It is also the same lab that had also tested a group of people in Nairobi that also had the same circumstances," Kagwe said.
Dr. Ahmed Kalebi, the CEO and founder of Pathologists Lancet Kenya, has taken a break from social media to concentrate on his lab, which has been under scrutiny for its testing results.
"To all my tweeples and acquaintances, I’m taking timeout for a few days from Twitter & Social Media to concentrate with my team at @LancetKenya_PLK on attending to the surge in COVID-19 laboratory samples and mitigate the disruptions we’ve experienced in our workflow," Kalebi said on Twitter.
However, Kalebi defended his lab by saying that testing at Pathologists Lancet Kenya had already given an extensive response at various levels.
"Pertaining to the matter of #COVID19 testing at @LancetKenya_PLK we have already given an extensive response at various levels as shared publicly. Further information can be obtained from the regulators specifically @KmpdcOfficial and KMLTTB who have separately audited our lab," Kalebi said.
