Workers Allegedly Washed, Reused Cotton Swabs For Indonesia Airport Passengers COVID-19 Tests
KEY POINTS
They allegedly repacked used swabs at the main office and sent them to the airport
Thousands of recycled cotton swabs may have been used on passengers for months
The alleged scam happened amid fears of a resurgence in COVID-19 cases
Several workers of a pharmaceutical company in Indonesia have been arrested for allegedly reusing cotton swabs on airport passengers who were getting tested for COVID-19.
Passengers in Indonesia are required to have a negative COVID-19 test result before boarding a flight, and many of them prefer to have the test in the airport to save some time. However, authorities found that several employees of Kimia Farma, which was offering the rapid tests at Kualanamu airport in Medan, North Sumatra, were allegedly washing, repacking and reselling used cotton swabs, reported South China Morning Post (SCMP).
news
Reused nose swabs: Indonesian firm faces lawsuit over Covid-19 test ‘fraud’ Aisyah Llewellyn in Medan, Indonesia llewellynaisyah@gmail.com Human rights lawyers in Medan, Kamal Pane (left) and Ranto Sibarani say they will sue Kimia Farma for compensation. Photo: Aisyah Llewellyn
A pair of Indonesian lawyers are planning to sue a state-owned pharmaceutical firm after it was discovered to have allegedly reused nasal swabs for coronavirus tests for thousands of people.
Last week, police arrested five workers at Kimia Farma, including its Medan business manager, who were accused of washing and repacking cotton swabs at the company s main office in the city, and then sending them to Kualanamu International Airport where they were used on unsuspecting travellers.
May 05, 2021
Human rights lawyers in Medan, Kamal Pane (left) and Ranto Sibarani say they will sue Kimia Farma for compensation.
South China Morning Post
A pair of Indonesian lawyers are planning to sue a state-owned pharmaceutical firm after it was discovered to have allegedly reused nasal swabs for coronavirus tests for thousands of people.
Last week, police arrested five workers at Kimia Farma, including its Medan business manager, who were accused of washing and repacking cotton swabs at the company’s main office in the city, and then sending them to Kualanamu International Airport where they were used on unsuspecting travellers.