The CD4 counting and human rights abuses in ELCT and MoH, a twins fact?

Today, the following letter reached my desk:


"1. In 2002, the CD4 test price has been USD 40 in average (BD FACSCount monopol). Due to introduction of the CyFlow technique (and later on other techiques) and the consequently gained competition, Becton Dickinson reduced the price to USD 15-20 per test after having lost the monopoles in many countries.

2. After constructive discussions with PS Mwaffisi and Professor Göhde at the International AIDS conference, the MoH of Tanzania requested a CyFlow for evaluation at Muhimbili (MUCHS).

3. A CyFlow SL unit (which works in the same way like the CYFLOW Counter) was shipped to Tanzania according to the agreement this was done free of any cost for Tanzania.

4. Hundreds of tests and reagents have been shipped free of cost for supporting the evaluation.

5. After shipping the goods, officials from Muhimbili and MoH delayed the evaluation for many months. This fact has been evidenced and documented in detail.

6. Communication from Professor Göhde to the PS at the MoH was obvously actively blocked by several MoH officials, so that letters, mails and fax messages never reached the addressees at the MoH.

7. For this reason, a direct communication line, which designates a fair partnership and evaluation process, from MoH and Muhimbili (MUCHS) to Germany was dead for many months.
8. All offers by the PARTEC company to supporting Muhimbili (MUCHS) stayed unanswered.

9. In November 2005, Muhimbili announced that it had released an evaluation report to PARTEC. The letter was not presenting a comprehesive scientific report and contains many false information. A publication in an international journal or any publication of methodes and particular results was refused or not done by MUCHS up to date.

10. In presence of an attoreny of law PARTEC has proven - by investigating the harddisk from the returned CyFlow unit - that the evaluation was obviously either sabotaged and manipulated on purpose or done by staff who had no idea at all about running even a simple flow cytometer. Subsequently Muhimbili officials issued a false report contradicting all the internastionally published ressearch done on the Cyflow.

11. Circulating reports in the media mention that Muhimbili Professors could have been bribed by an Indian business man (Mr. Bharat Rajan) who exclusively distributes BD FACSCount instruments and reagents in Tanzania and many other equipments for the treatmetn of HIV/AIDS.

12. There is obviously a well done report from a Tanzanian patriote and scientist circulating, which also gives hints about the involvement of EHT/WHO.

13. During the entire course, the MoH was in complete possess of the copies from all existing clinical validations and international studies which entirely turned out successfully for the CyFlow in the US, Europe, Africa and Asia.

14. Following the proof of theft of donor money by the hospital and the bishops office and announced protests by a patients group and Jackson Mbogela, the South Central Diocese closed down the CTC in Bulongwa by force form one minute to the other for several days. Consequently the CyFlow units were not working again as the trained staff was locked out.
Later on, the MoH personally took a BD FACSCount unit to Bulongwa. This FACSCount is said not to operate regularilly: There are reports by PIUMA ("pima uishi kwa matumaini" - local self helped group) members, that blood has been withdrawn but results were not given out frequently (this can easily be checked at the patients cards).
Anyway, during the time the CYFLOW was running at Bulongwa CTC all the CD4 tests were provided within few hours and on the same day the patient reached the clinic (you know about the walking distances in Makete?).
In joint hands, ELCT and the MoH initiated the impairment of CD4 counting services for the patients in Bulongwa. This probably lead to the loss of lives within the patients cared by Bulongwa CTC.
Compared to Ikonda Hosptiatl which is still using CYFLOW units (up to date) the death toll was rising in Bulongwa, after the impairment of the CTC services through the violant action of the South Central Diocese under support of MoH and the former PM, who also was contacted and visited Bulongwa and heared the grieviances of the villagers.

15. Now the same Minister of Helath is announcing an import stop for the CyFlow. At the same time it is said by sources from Tanzania, that many of the FACSCount units are not functioning properly.

16. Effectively, the Minister therefore by governmental ruling through import stop is promoting a CD4 testing method, which offers CD4 tests at cost of USD 5 -20 instead of USD 2-3. He is promoting the use of CD4 equipments which are obviously in many times failing to function in typical Tanzanian clinics and labs in the rural setting all over the world. As a medical professor and ressearch person he discredits a competitive method by ignoring all scientific facts and documented evidences.

17. Furthermore, the Minister directly excludes all Tanzanian children from controlled best qualtiy state of the art antiretroviral treatment when promoting other machines and banning CyFlow.

How can a Minister of Health look into the face of any Tanzanian Citizen as honourable Minister while he actively excludes children from best available and internationally demanded quality of controlled treatment ? Excluding children from best available services is bad, because "dealing" with children's lives also kills the future of Tanzania and human beings who deserve our special care and love.

It is indeed very sad to see that some individuals are obviously playing witht the minister and are much more interested in promoting costly products (which obviously have proven to fail in resource-poor settings in many times) because affordable products do not leave any room for detouring money into private pockets.
A USD 15-20 priced single patient test can feed many systems and people, a USD 2-3 test cannot do more than to support as many patients as possible without allowing that money is being diverted into different pockets or increased shareholder values and profits.

Only fair competition works!"


Im Übrigen bin ich der Meinung, dass die für Korruptionsfinazierung und fehlende Rechenschaftslegung zuständigen Missionssekretäre in Europa zurücktreten müssen und die Finanzgebarung auch der kirchlichen Entwicklungshilfe in Europa und Tansania vollkommen offengelegt werden muss und für Diebstähle, Korruption und Spendengeldermisswirtschaft Verantwortliche in Tansania und in anderen Ländern zur Rechenschaft gezogen werden müssen.