The Tunisian Union of Community Pharmacists has voiced its dissatisfaction and outrage over the appeal verdict against Dr. Raouf Jemaï in the tragic incident that led to the deaths of fourteen newborns in March 2019 at La Rabta Hospital. The infants died due to a nosocomial infection caused by contaminated parenteral nutrition. The union labeled the verdict as “deeply unjust,” highlighting structural failures, mismanagement, and corruption within Tunisia’s public healthcare system.
In an official statement, the union condemned the ruling as a blatant disregard for justice principles, noting that it was issued without adhering to the requirements of a fair trial. The union also referenced a commission of experts appointed by public authorities, whose findings were ignored in the final decision.
The union rejected the verdict, arguing that attempting to hold an innocent pharmacist accountable is a tactic to divert attention from the real culprits behind the healthcare system’s failures. In this context, it pointed to the responsibility of the then-Minister of Health, citing incompetence, lack of oversight, and negligence in managing the incident.
The organization reaffirmed its commitment to defending its colleague and the profession as a whole, announcing its readiness to pursue all necessary legal battles to support Dr. Raouf Jemaï and restore justice. A strong message was delivered: pharmacists will not be scapegoats in what they see as a “miscarriage of justice” to protect the true culprits.
“We will not remain silent, nor will we allow a colleague to be sacrificed in the name of circumstantial justice. The dignity of our profession comes first,” the union declared, calling for solidarity and mobilization across the profession to confront this serious injustice.
This stance was accompanied by a call for a general mobilization of pharmacists and the organization of legal protests to seek redress and shed light on the case.
