Covid-19: Angolan doctor dies at police station after being caught without a mask inside his car

The reality 

Dr. Dala spent the whole day wearing a mask in the hospital. 

He left the service, tired. All he wanted most was a bath and a bed and give a hug to his family members. 

On the public road, he was driving his car alone. After being interregated by police officers he was invited to go to the station and died there.

The images of the doctor killed by driving without a mask clearly show that he was beaten.

The official version 

The Angolan Ministry of Interior confirmed the death of an Angolan doctor, taken by police to a police station in Luanda, for allegedly circulating on the public road without a mask, mandatory due to the covid-19.

In a press release, the ministry says that the incident occurred on Tuesday, and after going to the Catotes police station in Rocha Pinto, the methods of paying the fine were explained to the doctor and there was no ATM machine nearby. , called a close family member to make the payment.

The note added that “minutes later, he showed signs of fatigue and began to faint, having had an apparent fall, which caused slight injuries in the head region”.

“Due to his serious condition, he was taken to Hospital do Prenda and on the way he ended up perishing”, the document underlines, adding that the Criminal Investigation Service intervened, taking the victim to the morgue of Hospital Josina Machel.

According to the authorities, the family of the deceased confirmed that the doctor suffered from hypertension, however, due to legal imperatives, an autopsy will be performed on the corpse to determine the cause of death.

Meanwhile, the National Union of Doctors of Angola contradicts the police version, saying that the colleague was questioned by agents of the National Police for driving in his private vehicle, alone, without a face mask.

According to the union, after the fall the doctor was allegedly kept in the cell and hours later he was found dead.

“Only as soon as they understood that they were taking the failed vehicle to the Hospital do Prenda in the police vehicle, where their irreversible cardiorespiratory arrest was confirmed,” says the union.

A group of colleagues at the Pediatric Hospital David Bernardino, where the deceased worked, after learning about the death, went to that morgue and was surprised because the drawer where the body was full of blood.

“The colleague has an incisive wound, like a cut in the occipital region, which we presume was subjected to beating and hard blows that resulted in that wound and abundant bleeding”, highlights the union.

However, a source from the Ministry of the Interior said that the autopsy, performed today in the presence of the family and a prosecutor, concluded that the doctor was not the target of any aggression.

Covid-19: Angola reports 59 new infections, 25 recoveries

Luanda - Fifty-nine new infections, two deaths and 25 patients recovered is the balance recorded by the health authorities over the last 24 hours in the country.

 

According to the Secretary of State for Public Health, Franco Mufinda, who presented the balance of the day, there were nine patients in Cabinda, one in Soyo municipality, Zaire province and 40 diagnosed in Luanda.

Among the new patients, whose ages range from 01 to 85 years, are 44 male and 15 female.

Regarding the two deaths, Franco Mufinda said that was a 74-year-old man and a 95-year-old woman, both Angolans.

The 25 patients recovered were 23 from Luanda and two from Huíla.

The country has 2,935 positive cases, with 117 deaths, 1,192 recovered and 1,626 active.

Of the active cases, three are in critical condition with invasive mechanical ventilation, 22 severe, 46 moderate, 45 with mild symptoms and 1,510 asymptomatic.

Of the active patients, 376 are admitted to different treatment centres in the country.

Covid-19: Luanda gets coronavirus testing sites

Angola’s Health Ministry (MINSA) has created permanent Covid-19 testing sites in Luanda province to assist people who have recently returned to the country, the Secretary of State for Public Health, Franco Mufinda has said.

In a press covid-19 briefing on Saturday, Franco Mufinda said permanent testing sites were located in the municipalities of Luanda (headquarters) at the local health department,  Cacuaco, Quissama, Icolo and Bengo, Viana, Talatona and Cazenga at their respective local hospital facilities.

While in the municipalities of Belas it was installed in the school 2011 and Kilamba Kiaxi at Luanda General Hospital.

 

“All citizens who have not been tested yet should go to the nearest post in their municipality to get tested on Monday. The current activity taking place at the Américo Boavida Hospital will be sporadic ”, he stressed.

 

He also reiterated permanent the massive testing activity to all citizens recently returned to the country and who have fulfilled the time set for home quarantine, taking place at Hospital Boavida Neto.

 

As for the mortality rate in terms of the age, he said that 84 deaths out of 117 registered so far are people aged over 50, representing 79 percent.

 

“In every 100 deaths in Angola, 79 are aged over 50 years,” he said, during the update covid-19 session, in the last 24 hours.

Angola reached 2,935 positive cases, with 117 deaths, 1,192 recovered and 1,626 active, in last 24 hours.

In terms of the distribution of infected cases in the country, Franco Mufinda reaffirmed that Luanda remains the epicenter of the disease, followed by the province of Zaíre, Cabinda, Cuanza Norte, Cunene, Huíla, Bie, Huambo, Malanje, Moxico, Lunda Sul and Uíge.