Paper company denies claims its staff forced to take ivermectin

 

Paper manufacturer Kooka Paper Manufacturing Sdn Bhd has denied allegations that the company had forcibly prescribed the anti-parasitic medication ivermectin for its employees.

In a statement yesterday, Kooka Paper stressed its role as a "socially responsible company that looks out for the welfare of its employees in accordance with local laws".

“We did not and do not prescribe (ivermectin). We do not force the employees to take anything. We do not encourage these kinds of actions,” said the Subang-based paper manufacturer.

Ivermectin is a drug typically used for veterinary treatment of parasites, especially worm infestations, which has been touted as a miracle Covid-19 cure despite little scientific evidence.

The statement comes from a spokesperson on behalf of Kooka Paper's management after allegations that the company forced its employees to take ivermectin and violated Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOP) circulated on social media.

Two days ago, Twitter user @lelakiserigala wrote a series of tweets alleging that his sister was forced to take ivermectin in front of her employers after she was infected with Covid-19.

Although he did not explicitly name the company, @lelakiserigala hinted in his thread that his sister’s employer was a “tissue paper company” based in Subang.

He had also uploaded a screenshot of the company’s website last month, which enabled Malaysiakini to trace the page to Kooka Paper’s website.

His sister is said to be filing a police report over the incident.

He had previously written a Twitter thread in early July claiming that members of his family had been exposed to the Covid-19 virus as a result of his sister’s employer’s SOP non-compliance.

“Yesterday, there were 23 positive swab tests and they were told to come to work. Those who are positive are also told to go to work. What is this? Merciless!” said @lelakiserigala in his Twitter thread on Aug 4.

Kooka Paper refuted the claim, stating that it does not allow infected workers to continue working in the facility, which the manufacturing company described as a “malicious” allegation.

“We do RTK tests weekly and this is for prevention screening. We find that there are some positive cases each time and have quarantined them in specific hostels.

“We disinfect our facilities in its entirety, as per requirements. The entire factory’s workers have also gotten their first dose of vaccination, thanks to the Public-Private Partnership Covid-19 Industry Immunisation Programme,” said Kooka Paper.

'Routinely checked'

It claimed that the facility is routinely checked by the relevant authorities to ensure it complies with all governmental requirements, including daily manpower limits of no more than 50 percent of its workforce, and that its Covid-19 positive employees do not face pay cuts during their quarantine period, as mandated by the government.

However, Kooka Paper has said, in recognition of the importance of its workers' health, it is in the midst of launching an internal investigation to identify the “root cause” of the allegations, 

The company, a major exporter of tissue paper products, stressed that it operates in compliance with Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (Smeta) requirements, which encourages good and responsible business practice. 

Kooka Paper has also stated that it will comply with any police investigations in relation to the incident.

Last week, the Health Ministry warned individuals from taking ivermectin as it is only used for animals, reaffirming that no ivermectin products have been approved for registration for human use thus far.

On July 28, Health Minister Dr Adham Baba said results of randomised clinical trials on the efficacy and safety of ivermectin in treating high-risk Covid-19 patients are expected to be known in September.

In April, the World Health Organisation recommended only using ivermectin in clinical trials – not treatment – due to a lack of evidence.

The European Medicines Agency and the United States Food and Drug Administration have also warned against using it to treat Covid-19.

Ivermectin’s side effects include skin rash, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach pain, facial or limb swelling, adverse neurological events (dizziness, seizures, confusion), sudden drop in blood pressure, severe skin rash potentially requiring hospitalisation and liver injury. - Mkini