Liberia clears up St. Luke situation sort of?

http://allafrica.com/stories/200503160668.html

Another Degree Granting Medical College in Liberia?



The Inquirer (Monrovia)

March 16, 2005
Posted to the web March 16, 2005

Monrovia

It has been gathered that an entity accredited by the Government of Liberia to run as Medical College has already issued degrees to individuals without running classes.

According to investigation, the St. Luke School of Medicine said to be located in Gaye Town, Sinkor, was accredited by an Act of the National Legislature to run as a medical college. But report said the school has not officially begun classes, but has already gone go-ahead issuing diplomas to some so-called graduates.


Investigation revealed that the existence of the school as a degree granting institution came to light recently when some students in Asia called the India Consul to verify the existence of the school, which has been issuing degrees.

The sources said the school was targeting students in Asia because most of the people in that part of the world want to be doctors, but can not afford the cost of acquiring such education and degree there, and have therefore decided to use the on-line program to get their "documents" since they believed that the St. Luke School of Medicine was operating in Liberia.

It was also said that the school has an affiliation with the University of Liberia, but this was denied by Dr. Al Hasan Conteh, president of the university when he was approached on the issue yesterday.

At the same time, some medical doctors contacted over the issue, expressed concern about this latest development because they said it has the potential to further damage the image of the country.

Assemblyman Dr. Mohammed Sheriff, chairman of the house standing committee on health, said the whole thing about the school is fake. He blamed some people in government for this situation.

He said, he has received complaints from some graduates of the A.M.

Dogliotti College of Medicine of the University of Liberia, who said the issue of St. Like was an embarrassment to them.

He said his committee is investigating the matter as this was serious and must be dealt with accordingly. He said this was a scam that some individuals are using to extort money from people desirous of getting in the medical profession. He said these individuals went to other countries and were thrown out, but some individuals in government are working with them to bring shame to this country.

Also, a statement of attestation issued by the National Commission on Higher Education is said to be raising eyebrows. Investigation revealed that the commission had gone ahead to grant rights and a statement to operate to the institution without it meeting all the requirements, something the school is said to be using.

Health Minister Dr. Peter Coleman who was contacted on the issue yesterday, confirmed that the school has been accredited by an act of the national legislature.

He said the school was now preparing to operate as it has been also accredited by the Commission of Higher Education.

Asked about the issuance of diplomas without classes, Dr. Coleman said the school also runs an "online program." But said he is not aware of the issuance of diplomas. He said the medical authorities in Liberia do not "recognize" such online program, which is said to be existing in Nigeria and Ghana.

Efforts to get a word from Education Minister, Dr. Evelyn Kandakai, the president and chief executive officer of the school, Mr.

Jerroll Dolphin, MD, and the Indian Consul proved futile as their cell phones were switched off.

Our investigation continues.

 

Thanks for the lead Dean, here's the follow up . . .
Apparently St. Luke's only exists "on paper."
http://allafrica.com/stories/200503170600.html
Jack

 

And while I'm at it . . .
Just so no one says, "degree mills, they're just vanity degrees."
or, "degree mills, they're not hurting anyone."
Here you have a degree mill operating in a third world nation granting degrees that would (ostensibly) allow someone to practice medicine without training or a license.
Jack
(have you ever noticed how the shills and the trolls never enter THESE threads?)

 

those who fight it

well, come over to

http://www.valuemd.com/ftopic31471.html&highlight=

and meet some of the folks who want to attend schools like this. I have one student there fighting me pretty hard saying that schools like these are just ahead of regular medical schools.

Someone I don't think that futuristic teaching will begin on small islands in the Carib. or in West. Africa but maybe I just don't know any better.

 

Hi Dean - This reminds me of all those stories from the 1950's that described how we would all be driving around in hovercraft and wearing spandex as we lived on the ocean floor. Nice ideas (except the spandex) but clearly, it ain't gonna happen.

Once upon a time I knew a guy who wanted to become an MD. He was pretty smart and pulled good grades but I guess they weren't good enough because he didn't get in to any regular med schools. I met up with him several years later. He was working as an orderly in a hospital and was applying to a collection of non-US med schools, most of which seemed to be located in the Carribean. He was smart enough that he could have been good at any number of things. Instead, he was preparing to be a sub-doc (I'm coining this term here and now). I never understood this compulsion.
Jack

 

One state Medical Board director refers to graduates of schools like this as having Medical Degree Lites

 

fake medical school discovered in Liberia

http://allafrica.com/stories/200503180647.html

Fake Medical School Discovered


The Analyst (Monrovia)

March 18, 2005
Posted to the web March 18, 2005

Mensiegar Karnga


The Dean of the Dogliotti College of Medicine of the University of
Liberia, Dr. Robert Kpoto, has expressed fears that fake medical
doctors carrying diplomas from a non-existing medical school may be
practicing medicine in the country.

He said while no such doctor has been apprehended yet, a recent
revelation that several Liberians and Indian nationals were awarded
diplomas by a non-existing medical school in Liberia gives reason for
the Health Ministry as well as the public to be careful.


Addressing a news conference yesterday in Monrovia, Dr. Kpoto said,
"There is a fake medical school identified as St. Luke School of
Medicine that has begun issuing medical degrees to Liberians and other
foreign nationals in a bid to allow them to form part of the medical
labor force."

Dr. Kpoto, who is also the proprietor of the Med-Link Clinic, said
when he first heard about the existence of the college in Liberia, he
contacted the former Dean of the medical college, Dr. Benson Bah, and
other authorities in the health profession who confirmed his suspicion
that no such school exists in Liberia.

Given the basis for his suspicion, Dr. Kpoto said on April 23, 2003 he
received a communication from a man identified as Jerroll Dolphin who
claimed to be the Chief Medical Officer and President of the St. Luke
School of Medicine with branches in Ghana, Nigeria, India and the
United States of America.

According to him, Dolphin expressed his desire to have a collaborative
arrangement with A.M. Dogliotti School of Medicine at the University.

He said in May of the same year, they responded to Dolphin's
communication, directing him on the procedural matter regarding the
accreditation of higher institution in the country.

He noted further that on February 6, 2002, another communication was
received from an individual claiming to be the vice president of the
St. Luke School of Medicine, urging them to have a memorandum of
understanding on the urgent basic for the establishment of the school
in Liberia.

The medical school dean further explained that on February 5, 2003 a
meeting was held between the University of Liberia and some persons
purporting to be representatives of the St. Luke School of Medicine at
which time it was proven that the institution does not exist thereby
making the authority of the university to refused to sign an MOU.

Dr. Kpoto did not say how the discovery of the school's non-existence
was made, but noted that despite the fact that the school was not
accredited in Liberia, it was clandestinely issuing degrees even
before it sought the MOU with the University of Liberia.

One indicator of the school's non-existence, according to Dr. Kpoto,
is that it could not show evidence of fiscal possession, academic
board, and concrete address of location and programs.

He said even though the school has no offices in Liberia, it continues
to issue medical degrees to Liberians and non Liberians.

Notwithstanding the apparent fakeness of the school, according to Dr.
Kpoto, Health Minister Peter Coleman wrote the World Health
Organization (WHO) Headquarter in Switzerland certifying that the
government of Liberia had accredited the St. Luke School of Medicine
to operate within the republic of Liberia and that WHO should
therefore accord the institute all courtesies.

The letter which is in possession of this paper further notes that the
St. Luke Medical School will granting four-year doctor of medicine
degree to be regulated through the Ministry of Health.

When contacted, Dr. Peter Coleman reiterated his claim that the school
exists even though he could not say where it is located in the
country.

According to him, the St. Luke School of Medicine was accredited and
the 51st National Legislature under the Taylor administration enacted
its existence into law.

Following the passage of the law, he noted, the school's authority was
advised to seek accreditation from the Bureau of Higher Education at
the Ministry of Education but that it is not known whether it heeded
the advice.

Whatever the situation, according to observers, health delivery system
in the country and the lives of unsuspecting sick people are in danger
with unknown number of individuals probably working with NGOs in
clinics, hospitals, and other health outlets as medical doctors
without the requisite medical background.