‘Coup des Coeurs’ Against Covid-19:

Watchdog Backs at Alleged Embezzlement of Funds

-Urges Cameroon gov’t to probe into ‘missing funds’ and publish its findings

By Doh Bertrand in Yaounde

International rights organization, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged government to show some transparency in its management of money meant to combat the Covid-19 pandemic in the country.

               

The authorities are doing their utmost to prevent spread of covid

The rights group has in a report published from Nairobi by their Central Africa Director, Lewis Mudge, urged Cameroon to immediately publish information on the revenues, disbursements and management of its Health Solidarity Fund as well as support healthcare facilities responding to the pandemic, if it has not already done so, and investigate any missing funds.

                The report compiled after interviews done between 6 April and 24 May 2020 from eight medical staff, including six doctors and two nurses, three lawyers, and several representatives from local NGOs across the country nails government for failing to support hospitals responding to covid-19 despite the mandatory 10% monthly contributions made into the country’s emergency fund from revenues of hospitals for over 25 years as required by the 1993 law.

                The fund falls under the responsibility of the health ministry and was established to provide support during health emergencies but as per the report, hospitals still lack adequate resources to respond to the covid-19 pandemic with medics indicating shortages in basic hospital goods, including thermometers, disinfectants and basic drugs, as well as ventilators, artificial oxygen and protective gear for doctors and nurses such as masks, gloves, and glasses.

                HRW questions government’s silence over the management of the funds despite efforts made to explanations to be given from the Public Health Ministry at a time hospitals are witnessing shortages in equipment.

                In the same light, HRW report indicates that a 2018 World Bank report had sounded an alarm regarding the lack of rules or information on the fund, noting it is not clear what the Solidarity Fund is used for.

                It adds that the lack of transparency is especially problematic because the fund’s revenues largely come from patient fees that drive up the cost of health care, adding that as of 2018, 70% of the total health expenditure for the country was borne by households¬ - the third highest in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the average is 34%.

                The HRW report also condemns government retaliation against political opposition efforts to address shortcomings in official responses to Covid-19 and demanded explanations and clarifications on how the fund has been used so far.

                “The government of Cameroon should urgently clarify whether money from the fund has been lost to corruption or misuse and establish clear rules and transparency requirements to prevent it from happening in the future” Mudge said.

                Cameroon currently has the highest number of Covid-19 cases in Central Africa. Official statistics as at 12 June shows 9196 positive cases with 5557 recoveries and 273 deaths. Government has so far decentralized the fight to combat the virus to all ten regions with an increase in the number of testing centres and distribution of test and protective kits.