Fake Medical School Discover in Liberia (St. Luke SOM)

[azskeptic]

http://allafrica.com/stories/200503180647.html

Fake Medical School Discovered


The Analyst (Monrovia)

March 18, 2005
Posted to the web March 18, 2005

Mensiegar Karnga


The Dean of the Dogliotti College of Medicine of the University of Liberia, Dr. Robert Kpoto, has expressed fears that fake medical doctors carrying diplomas from a non-existing medical school may be practicing medicine in the country.

He said while no such doctor has been apprehended yet, a recent revelation that several Liberians and Indian nationals were awarded diplomas by a non-existing medical school in Liberia gives reason for the Health Ministry as well as the public to be careful.


Addressing a news conference yesterday in Monrovia, Dr. Kpoto said, "There is a fake medical school identified as St. Luke School of Medicine that has begun issuing medical degrees to Liberians and other foreign nationals in a bid to allow them to form part of the medical labor force."

Dr. Kpoto, who is also the proprietor of the Med-Link Clinic, said when he first heard about the existence of the college in Liberia, he contacted the former Dean of the medical college, Dr. Benson Bah, and other authorities in the health profession who confirmed his suspicion that no such school exists in Liberia.

Given the basis for his suspicion, Dr. Kpoto said on April 23, 2003 he received a communication from a man identified as ******l Dolphin who claimed to be the Chief Medical Officer and President of the St. Luke School of Medicine with branches in Ghana, Nigeria, India and the United States of America.

According to him, Dolphin expressed his desire to have a collaborative arrangement with A.M. Dogliotti School of Medicine at the University.

He said in May of the same year, they responded to Dolphin's communication, directing him on the procedural matter regarding the accreditation of higher institution in the country.

He noted further that on February 6, 2002, another communication was received from an individual claiming to be the vice president of the St. Luke School of Medicine, urging them to have a memorandum of understanding on the urgent basic for the establishment of the school in Liberia.

The medical school dean further explained that on February 5, 2003 a meeting was held between the University of Liberia and some persons purporting to be representatives of the St. Luke School of Medicine at which time it was proven that the institution does not exist thereby making the authority of the university to refused to sign an MOU.

Dr. Kpoto did not say how the discovery of the school's non-existence was made, but noted that despite the fact that the school was not accredited in Liberia, it was clandestinely issuing degrees even before it sought the MOU with the University of Liberia.

One indicator of the school's non-existence, according to Dr. Kpoto, is that it could not show evidence of fiscal possession, academic board, and concrete address of location and programs.

He said even though the school has no offices in Liberia, it continues to issue medical degrees to Liberians and non Liberians.

Notwithstanding the apparent fakeness of the school, according to Dr. Kpoto, Health Minister Peter Coleman wrote the World Health Organization (WHO) Headquarter in Switzerland certifying that the government of Liberia had accredited the St. Luke School of Medicine to operate within the republic of Liberia and that WHO should therefore accord the institute all courtesies.

The letter which is in possession of this paper further notes that the St. Luke Medical School will granting four-year doctor of medicine degree to be regulated through the Ministry of Health.

When contacted, Dr. Peter Coleman reiterated his claim that the school exists even though he could not say where it is located in the country.

According to him, the St. Luke School of Medicine was accredited and the 51st National Legislature under the Taylor administration enacted its existence into law.

Following the passage of the law, he noted, the school's authority was advised to seek accreditation from the Bureau of Higher Education at the Ministry of Education but that it is not known whether it heeded the advice.

Whatever the situation, according to observers, health delivery system in the country and the lives of unsuspecting sick people are in danger with unknown number of individuals probably working with NGOs in clinics, hospitals, and other health outlets as medical doctors without the requisite medical background.

[soon2bMS]

This is very sad for SLSOM. I will not comment on the school, however, I will say that I do believe the school made mistakes that are starting to catch up to them now. Nevertheless, the school is working hard to correct the errors they made. I believe that this does effect foriegn medical education, however, I don't believe that SLSOM can speak for all foriegn medical education nor the distance learning medical education.

I know that you have an issue with distance learning medical education, Az. However, I do believe there are some good schools along with some bad schools. One particular distance medical learning school is Oceania. It appears that they started on the right track. However, only time can tell if this schools is as good as it says it is. I'm not talking about licensure here. I'm talking about medical education and the school itself heading down the right track.

I personally do not have anything against distance learning medical education and I believe that they do serve a purpose. Is it a wise choice if one is seeking to become licensed in the US? At this point in time, I don't really think it is. However, if one is seeking to advance their career in the healthcare field, I do see where these schools could be a benefit.

Nevertheless, SLSOM has a long road to recovery ahead of them. What started out for a good clause, end up being turned into a embrassement for a country and medical school. Now, I'll just remain silent on this SLSOM issue and watch as it unfolds.

[warrior]

excuze .......me. SLSOM on the right track? Purporting to have an agreement with the AM DOGLIOTTI school of medicine and it didn't? Saying it had recognition from Ghana and it doesn't??????? On the "right track???????"
Then someone please tell me what is on the WRONG TRACK??????????? With the press now involved, it will be harded to hide what ever is really going on in Liberia, but on the right track does not seem like an option!

[blueeyes]

I've got a feeling soon2bMS was referring to Oceania as having started on the "right track"...not SLSOM.

[azskeptic]

Originally Posted by blueeyes

I've got a feeling soon2bMS was referring to Oceania as having started on the "right track"...not SLSOM.

With the problems Oceania has in Australia etc. I am not sure one can exactly say it is on the right track either.

[soon2bMS]

Originally Posted by azskeptic

With the problems Oceania has in Australia etc. I am not sure one can exactly say it is on the right track either.

What I mean by starting on the right track is this:

"Oceania University of Medicine Samoa (OUMS) is the Samoan campus of OUM. OUMS operates under a charter executed by
the Government of Independent (formerly Western) Samoa. OUMS is an autonomous statutory corporation operating in
partnership with the Government of Samoa, represented by the Prime Minister, the head of Government. The authority derives
from the Oceania University of Medicine (Samoa) Act, enacted by the Parliament of Samoa in January 2002.
OUMS graduates are eligible to practice within the country of Samoa, subject to any local laws relating to immigration, work
permits, and admission to practice. OUMS has been authorised to grant the degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of
Surgery (MBBS) and Doctor of Medicine (MD)."

Again, only time will tell if this is factual or not.

Nevertheless, if in fact a school begins under false pretense, then it would be correct to say that the school has started on the wrong track. This is obvious with SLSOM. Now they have to spend countless time, loss of money and loss of creditbility to correct what they have created. However, if a school has gone through proper channels to begin operation as Oceania makes claims to have done, is it not on the right track even if it still has a long way to go before acceptance by society? I'm not talking about licensure issues which shouldn't determine if a school is good or not. That's a completely different issue and shouldn't be confused with rather or not the school provides an execellent education.

[warrior]

Soontobe,

Oh. :P

[warrior]

http://allafrica.com/stories/200503211248.html

Thanks Azkeptic for the story.

The Analyst (Monrovia)

March 21, 2005
Posted to the web March 21, 2005


Health Minister Peter S. Coleman has refuted claims by the Dean of the A.M. Dogliotti College of Medicine of the University of Liberia, Dr. Robert Kpoto, that a fake medical school has been discovered and issuing diploma and/or degree in the country, describing such claims as "highly political."

Dr. Kpoto said at a news conference last week in Monrovia that a research conducted has revealed that a non-existing medical school identified as the St. Luke School of Medicine, was issuing medical degrees to Liberians and other foreign nationals in a bid to allow them form a part of the medical labor force.


Dr. Kpoto, proprietor of the Med-Link Clinic, who did not say how the discovery of the school's non- existence was made, but noted that despite the fact that the school was not accredited in Liberia, it was clandestinely issuing degrees even before it sought the planned Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the University of Liberia.

But Dr. Coleman, in his reaction over the weekend, said such claims "lack vital points". He reiterated that the St. Luke School of Medicine does exist. But there has been no independent verification of the facts.

He told reporters at the Health Ministry that such an issue was not the discussion of a presidential aspirant. Coleman called on Kpoto to rather be concerned about improving the country's deteriorated health delivery system.

According to him, the St. Luke School of Medicine based in California, USA, in 2000 requested the Taylor- led government through the Ministry of Health, to allow it establish a medical college in Liberia.

He said based on such a request, the school's authorities were asked to meet up with three basic requirements before being allowed to carry out its plan.

He said two of the three requirements had been met by the school, including the passage of legislation in the Taylor government legalizing the existence of the school and guidelines set by the Bureau for Higher Education.

Dr. Coleman said the school was now in its final phase of the accreditation process by the board of medical practitioners and the school is presently holding discussions with officials

He further said the school was located in Sinkor, and its facilities were being inspected by the board as part of the accreditation process. The school has not begun operation in Liberia.

Coleman also clarified that the diplomas referred to by Dr. Kpoto, were being issued through the school's on-line program.

Relevant Links

West Africa
Crime and Corruption
Education
Liberia



Dr. Coleman denied knowledge of a purported letter under his signature, being addressed to the World Health Organization (WHO), certifying that the government of Liberia had accredited the St. Luke School of Medicine to operate in the Republic of Liberia and that WHO should therefore accord the institute all courtesies.

"I have seen that letter too and the signature is a bit different. We are trying to trace the source of that letter," he said.