未検査で数千人に「コロナ陰性証明書」　病院経営者を逮捕　バングラデシュ

【ダッカＡＦＰ＝時事】バングラデシュの警察当局は15日、新型コロナウイルス検査で陰性だったと証明する偽の書類を6000人以上に発行した疑いで、指名手配していた病院経営者の男を隣国インドに逃亡する直前に逮捕したと発表した。容疑者はイスラム教徒の女性が着用する「ブルカ」を着て、インドとの国境の川岸にいたところを拘束されたという。（写真はバングラデシュ首都ダッカで、警官に連行される病院経営者のモハマド・シャヘド容疑者〈中央〉
　モハマド・シャヘド容疑者（４２）は経営する２つの病院で、検査を行わずに陰性証明書を発行していたとされる。同容疑者は９日間にわたって逃走を続けていた。
　新型コロナ陰性の偽装証明書をめぐっては、ここ数日でシャヘド容疑者の他に１０人以上が逮捕されている。
　警察によると、シャヘド容疑者の病院では１万５００件の新型ウイルス検査が行われたとされているが、うち実際に検査したのは４２００件で、残る６３００件は未検査にもかかわらず検査結果証明書を渡していたという。
　また、首都ダッカにある容疑者の病院は新型コロナウイルスについては無料診療を提供することで政府と合意していながら、検査結果証明書の発行手数料と治療費を請求していた疑いも掛けられている。
　専門家らは、医療機関が発行する証明書の信頼性を損ない、国内の新型コロナ危機を悪化させる事件だと懸念を強めている。同国ではこれまでに約１９万３０００人が感染し、２４５７人が死亡した。
　バングラデシュ経済は、海外で働く出稼ぎ労働者の外貨収入に大きく頼っている。だが、移民労働者の権利団体ＯＫＵＰによると、ダッカからイタリアに渡航したバングラデシュ人労働者が現地での検査で陽性と診断される事例が相次ぎ、うち複数が「陰性証明書」を携行していたとされる。ＯＫＵＰは「海外の雇用市場のため、政府は国内各地の研究施設で行われる検査の品質を保証しなければならない」と主張している。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/07/20-13:16）

A Bangladesh hospital owner accused of issuing thousands of fake negative coronavirus test results to patients at his two clinics was arrested Wednesday while trying to fleeing to India in a burqa, police said.
The arrest marked the end of a nine-day manhunt for Mohammad Shahed over allegations of giving fake certificates to patients saying they were virus-free without even testing them.
Shahed, 42, was one of more than a dozen people detained by authorities over the past few days in connection with the scam.
Experts warn the false documents has worsened the already dire virus situation in the country of 168 million people by casting doubt about the veracity of certificates issued by clinics.
He was arrested from the bank of a border river as he was trying to flee to India. He was wearing a burqa, Rapid Action Battalion spokesman Colonel Ashique Billah told AFP.
His hospitals carried out 10,500 coronavirus tests, out of which 4,200 were genuine and the rest, 6,300 test reports, were given without conducting tests.
Shahed is also accused of charging for the certificates and virus treatments even though he had agreed with the government that his hospitals in the capital Dhaka would provide free care.
A well-known doctor and her husband were also arrested by police and accused of issuing thousands of fake virus certificates at their Dhaka laboratory.
The alleged scams could badly hurt migrant workers seeking to go abroad and whose remittances are key to Bangladesh's economy, said Shakirul Islam of migrant rights group OKUP.
Italy last week suspended flights to Rome from Bangladesh to stem the spate of coronavirus cases within the community.
Several passengers arriving from Dhaka had tested positive for COVID-19.
Some of the Bangladeshis who were tested positive in Italy were allegedly carrying negative COVID certificates from Bangladesh, Islam claimed.
The government must ensure quality of COVID-19 tests in local laboratories for the sake of its overseas job market.
Nearly $19 billion was sent back to Bangladesh by an estimated 12 million migrant workers last year, according to the central bank.
Bangladesh has reported just over 193,000 infections and 2,457 deaths so far.
But medical experts say the real figures are likely much higher because so little testing has been carried out.
The impoverished country has restarted economic activities after lifting a months-long virus lockdown at the end of May, even as the number of cases continues to rise.