Veles man reported in alleged Cuban vaccine scam; earlier NGO fraud complaint

A man from Veles has been reported in connection with sales and administration of so-called Cuban vaccines, and local reporting shows he had previously faced a separate fraud complaint linked to an NGO he chaired.

The earlier complaint concerned a project reportedly financed with European funds and run by an NGO of persons with disabilities from Veles. The project was implemented in Ohrid to build a park for people with disabilities, but contractors say they were never paid. At the time the alleged fraud was said to amount to €100,000, but the police have not provided public information on how that complaint was resolved.

Allegations over vaccines, payments and police reports

Recent media articles say the same Veles resident, identified only by initials M.A., is under investigation for selling and administering vaccines purportedly from Cuba and claimed to treat cancer. Dozens of citizens reported that they found M.A. and paid sums ranging from €1,500 to €3,200 or more to obtain the injections; many say they never saw the product itself and that the supplier injected them personally.

After a number of unsuccessful treatments and some deaths, the first police reports alleging fraud were filed. The Ministry of Health says it learned about the investigation from media coverage.

"Regarding the case with Cuban vaccines, I am not aware of any details beyond the media reports, but I must say that the Ministry of Health is working on several cases involving unlawful use of funds and fraud and abuses related to this," said Sasho Klekovski — Minister of Health.

Posts on social networks claim the alleged vaccines were obtained from Serbia and that patients often did not see packaging or a manufacturer name. In Serbia two companies are licensed to work with the Cuban producer: the Belgrade firm VAMA, which lists presence on Balkan markets including North Macedonia, and Cuba Medic from Loznica, which also arranges treatment in Cuba. Both act as intermediaries between patients and the Cuban vaccine manufacturer, and patients are told they must pass a number of tests before receiving a vaccine that is described as aiming to stop lung cancer. In North Macedonia MALMED has no such medicine registered.

Journalistic inquiries to one of the Serbian companies did not elicit an immediate reply because the company director was travelling; questions were sent by e-mail.

Report written by Biljana Nikolova.

Photo: press material from the event