Patrick N. Mensah, Maryland County
Liberia’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Francis Kateh has refuted the accusation by Maryland County Representative-elect Anthony Williams that he wants to provide fake medical reports in an ongoing election fraud case.
Speaking to the New Dawn newspaper on Thursday, 9 November 2023, the Deputy Health Minister termed Mr. Williams’ accusation as false, misleading, and intended to damage his hard-earned character.
Williams alleged this week that Dr. Kateh wants to conspire with Speaker Bhofal Chambers to allege that his supporters sought treatment for injuries they sustained during the 10 October elections in which Chambers lost.
Chambers is challenging his defeat by the former student leader in Pleebo District, Maryland County, saying alleged electoral violence disrupted the polls in the district.
But Williams said Speaker Chambers has conspired with stakeholders including Dr. Kateh to overturn the election results in the district.
During a live talk show, Mr. Williams alleged that Dr. Francis Kateh has made several calls to the Pleebo Health Center in Maryland to provide medical reports for Chambers’ supporters who went for treatment.
Williams claimed that Dr. Kateh’s alleged calls were in addition to earlier calls allegedly made to that health center by defeated Speaker Chambers himself to provide reports for his supporters.
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However, Dr. Kateh has sharply reacted to Mr. Williams’ claim, saying he was shocked hearing the news that he has been trying to engage health workers at the Pleebo Health Center to provide fake health reports.
According to Dr. Kateh, he has been in Maryland County for months, but he has never been heard on radio stations in the county discussing politics, nor asking health workers to provide medical reports.
“As the matter of fact, as a chief medical officer of the country, I’m a technician and my role is to cater to every Liberian,” said Dr. Kateh.
“And so what has transpired, I received a call two weeks ago from a person who said they have gone to the health center for their medical reports and their reports weren’t given to them,” he narrated.
“So I made a call at the health center to acquire and they informed me that it was a patient by the name Patrick Weah. So, I told them once the person has gone to the facility for treatment, he/she is entitled to their medical reports,” he added.
“And they said his report was available at the center but wanted for him to go through the right proceeding, though he (Patrick Weah) has allegedly said he was denied of the report several times.”
According to Dr. Kateh, on Monday, he received another call that the report wasn’t given and the person was in Monrovia.
“And so I have called Dr. Gogno to inquire as to whether they have seen any patient by the name Patrick Weah, and he said no, but promised to have checked.”
Dr. Kateh said he was assured by Dr. Gogno that once he finds out concerning the matter, the patient will be given the assurance to receive his medical report.
“So, under no circumstances I will ask any health center or individual to fake medical reports as it has been falsely said by embattled lawmaker-elect Anthony F. William,” Dr. Kateh explained.
