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Just hours after we published our journalistic investigation into Bansko, I received a new alert. This time from a healthcare professional to one of the largest and most modern hospitals. The one on the front line in the fight against the coronavirus – “Alexandrovska”. They told me that they did not give the results of the rapid tests that they performed on the medical staff at one of the hospital clinics.
In the voice of the woman who asked us not to publish her name, I felt not only anger but also anger.
This is what journalist Valya Ahchieva shares in her new investigation, published again in Euroactiv.bg.
This is what Ahchieva says:
The history of the medical professional
“My blood was taken on April 8. So far, I haven’t seen a result, positive or negative. They took a lot of blood. For rapid tests, I don’t know what their methodologies are. All of those that were available in our clinic were At a certain time and our blood was taken to the Clinical Laboratory. And no one obtained their result. Although we asked, we did not just wait.
Not to mention, we also went to a place with my colleague at the Microbiology Clinic to ask and see the results. But they told us that the matrix was very large and that they couldn’t search the results and they sent us to look for them, which were sent to the deputy director. No one informed me of the result, but we were told that if anyone had a problem, they would look for it again. I received no information, I was not asked, and only through this can I indirectly assume that my result is negative. But if it’s negative or positive for some antibodies, I don’t know anything after seeing the results. And none of my colleagues knows it! Nobody!
Everyone asks, but they say, “Well, well … they have no results … They have an assistant principal. They said that only if there was a problem would they look for us. Only if there is a problem! None was called for PCR, although I read in the Blitz’s site (interview with Dr. Kostadin Angelov, director of Alexandrovska Hospital) that 43 people had intermediate results. What are these intermediate results? Can we still guess if they are some of the antibodies or something? Nothing was heard, nothing was understood.
Then after weeks, it became clear that there were one or two or three that were positive! What are your results? A complete mystery! I personally do not know if I have contacted them? It goes without saying that I have a vulnerable person at home that I live with. And this is my personal test! And how can I not get the result? These are things that are more scandalous to me, but … This is it, “says the medical professional.
What’s going on
The medical worker claims that the rapid test results of all colleagues from a full clinic at Alexandrovska Hospital had left the laboratory, directly to the deputy director’s office. For more than 20 days, no one has informed them of the results. Now let’s see what happens there.
The security guard in the office building first told us that he would inform the director, Dr. Kostadin Angelov, that we were looking for him for an interview. But in a minute he informed us that he was gone.
We then requested a meeting with the Assistant Director for Administrative Affairs, Ms. Maria Kumanova, who is said to have maintained rapid test data for all physicians and staff. She arrives and answers all of our questions. She does not deny that the data is with her, but sees no problem with that.
“All employees with disputed results were known and underwent PCR testing, and those with intermediate results were also informed.”
“Uninformed!” – I dispute his words.
I tell him that people wanted to see them but they failed. An interview with the hospital director told another media outlet that there were some intermediate results. Why can’t they get the results from their laboratory that is modern and has an electronic system?
I insist on finding out where the research results are at the moment, as Ms Kumanova first claimed that the results were in individual clinics, but then corrected that they would be provided to medical professionals. Deputy Director Kumanova responds:
“These studies are not included in the common electronic laboratory system that can be viewed online. And it is not about personal data. And it does not matter where they are now. We are personal data controllers and we comply with all the rules of the European regulation “
I ask the Deputy Director if they have frozen their blood after there have been provisional results and more than 20 days have passed.
Ms Kumanova did not know this, but stated that the 43 suspected employees had been evaluated by PCR and were aware of the result. It promises to provide rapid test results to all unknown medical professionals.
I sought the opinion of associate professor Atanas Mangurov, head of the children’s ward at the Hospital for Infectious Diseases. What could be the reason for not passing the test results to people who donated their blood for the test?
“I do not know! – Mangorov shrugs his shoulders.- These are studies with personal data of people. The only reason would be, if it is positive, that fermentation does not occur in medical establishments. And no one to work with. Or that someone wants to control the information. “
And how do you read the data we found on Bansko? – I ask my next question. – 8 percent of the people there have antibodies against the coronavirus. And there are no positive PCR results.
“Bansko’s population is almost 13,000 people. 8 percent of them are more than 1,000 people. If this is calculated for the population of Bulgaria, which is approximately 7 million people, it means that about 560 thousand people in Bulgaria has already come across the coronavirus and passed this infection. These are two big cities: Plovdiv and Varna, for example, they have taken it out and no one has even felt it. And if this had been known in March, at least we would have known what the baseline was and we would have very important information. And we would think about it. And so the decisions are made. And the fact that they have not found someone who ever releases the virus does not mean that there are no such people. It is like going to fish, to fish nothing and to think that there are no fish in the sea. There is! But, right now they don’t catch you. But you can catch a lot of that in the next moment. “
Is the law violated?
Has the personal data protection law been violated in the Bansko and Alexandrovska Hospital cases after people did not receive the results of their rapid blood tests?
I asked the Chairman of the Commission for the Protection of Personal Data, Mr. Ventsislav Karadjov, to answer this question.
“In Bansko’s case, the people were examined by the Regional Health Inspectorate in Blagoevgrad. The purpose of the study was to determine the rate of coronavirus infection in the city and to take appropriate measures to protect the population. In these cases, According to the regulation (for the protection of personal data), it is important for what purposes personal data is collected and processed, in this case, not for the issuance of medical certificates, but for the State to take measures to protect the other citizens of Bansko The objective in this case is to protect the public interest and the health of the local population.
The mayor of Bansko is strictly prohibited from taking a photo of the positive results of the rapid tests. This is a violation by the mayor as administrator. If the information is tested and submitted to the Commission for the Protection of Personal Data, we must investigate this problem, ”said Karadjov.
He said the information was due in the case of the Alexandrovska Hospital.
“According to the schedule of the Minister’s Medical Standard for the Clinical Laboratory, the person to whom the study was conducted owes information. This information and these documents are clearly established in this standard. Then the rules must be followed. And if the Hospital doctors now send a written signal to our committee, we will investigate the case again. And if it is discovered that the controller has processed personal data that he did not provide within a month to the person, upon request, the controller will receive an order to providing those data immediately within 7 days. And if this deadline is not met, it will also lead to sanctions, “said the committee chairman.
In the context of a pandemic, it is precisely human study documents that are particularly important because they demonstrate your health. Otherwise, without documents, we cannot know if these are the facts that the operational headquarters reports to us every day.
There is no way to verify them!
Sofia / Bulgaria
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