KATHMANDU – The Ministry of Health and Population has formed an investigation committee to probe into fake coronavirus test reports issued by private labs and hospitals by including an expert member who is the owner of a private lab that has been accused of issuing such reports.
The ministry formed the three-member committee on Thursday amid complaints that coronavirus test reports that some private labs and hospitals had issued to passengers flying abroad were fake.
The fake reports of private hospitals and labs were revealed after some passengers of Nepal Airlines who had reports testing negative for coronavirus were tested positive immediately after reaching abroad. Dr Mukund Sharma, Dr Amrit Pokharel and Balaram Gautam are the members of the committee.
Hams Hospital, Star Hospital, Surya Health Care and Decode Genomics and Research Center have been accused of issuing false coronavirus test reports to some of the Nepal Airlines’ passengers flying abroad.
Gautam is in the committee to investigate into the false coronavirus test reports allegedly issued by private hospitals and labs including his own Decode.
Such revelations have not only left the flag-carrier Nepal Airlines embarrassed abroad, but also led to a temporary ban on its flights to foreign destinations like Hong Kong and the UAE. Nepal Airlines has now decided to allow passengers with reports of coronavirus testing negative only from government labs.
