Iraqi Cancer Drug Scandal: Top Libyan health officials jailed

Shafaq News/ Libya’s Public Prosecution on Wednesday ordered the detention of the country’s health minister and several senior officials over irregularities in the import of cancer medication from Iraq.

In a statement, the Attorney General’s Office revealed that in addition to the minister, the detainees include the pharmacy department director, the chair of the general tenders committee, a central procurement officer, and a representative of an importing company.

“Investigators uncovered that the drug was imported without legal and technical approvals or coordination with the National Anti-Cancer Authority,” it added. “This constitutes a breach of public procurement rules.”

The cancer drug scandal surfaced last week after Iraq’s Ministry of Health announced it had delivered the first locally produced shipment of cancer drugs to Libya. However, Libya’s National Anti-Cancer Authority—the only body authorized to approve such treatments—denied receiving any shipments from Iraq or any other Arab or Asian country.

In response, Libya’s Attorney General Al-Siddiq Al-Sour affirmed that the Public Prosecution will take all necessary legal measures against those involved in the violations.