Health Ministry bosses arrested in swab scandal

Two senior officials separated from the Ministry of Health were arrested at their home in San Miguelito on Tuesday, February 8 on the order of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor of the Public Ministry,  for their role in  what became known as the swab rip-off involving a conflict of interest. Within the next 24 hours will be brought before a guarantee judge to lay charges.

Leonardo Labrador (former head of Epidemiology) and Ana Lorena Chang (former head of Public Health of the Metropolitan area) were arrested during a raid on their home.

The stand-in Attorney General Javier Caraballo, said that evidence has been collected that allows the actions that are being carried out.

He explained that the alleged crimes would be corruption of public officials and a crime against public health due to illegal swabs.

At the moment there are three people involved, the former bosses and a medical technologist.

The Labrador-Chang married couple were separated from their position due to the scandal that arose when people were allowed to enter Taboga Island, as long as they had a negative swab test, which was carried out by a company supposedly linked to both on a dock at Amador. 

In this case, the National Authority for Transparency and Access to Information also opened an ex officio investigation.

Last August, authorities carried out five eye inspection procedures at the Minsa, the Public Registry, the Civil Registry, the Gorgas Commemorative Institute for Health Studies and the laboratory contracted to carry out said tests.