Authorities investigate possible misuse of medical aid supplies in Haiti

The Haitian government has started an investigation into claims that some public hospitals and private health facilities on the earthquake devastated island charged patients for donated drugs.

Mirta Roses, director of the Pan American Health Organization, said that Haiti’s ministry of health is taking the allegations seriously and investigating the claims of fees being collected “for services or medicines” given to patients in public hospitals that have received supplies free from the programme on essential medicines and supplies (PROMESS).

Paul Garwood, the World Health Organization’s spokesman for health action in crises, told reporters that the agency was hearing …