Fight against impending Ebola fever:

Minister begs collaborators not to steal emergency response money
 

By Amindeh Blaise Atabong in Yaounde

The minister of public health, Andre Mama Fouda has pleaded with his close collaborators to shun the malpractice of embezzlement of funds, in the face of a spirited fight against the impending Ebola fever which is already in next door Nigeria.

MINSANTE boss flanked by anti-Ebola expert

Minister Mama Fouda made the call last Friday in the conference room of his ministry, during a press conference that had grouped journalists from national and international press organs.

According to the health minister, the World Health Organisation, WHO recently declared the Ebola epidemic as a global health emergency and put West African countries and environs on red alert.

Against this backdrop, Mama Fouda said the ministry has put in place a national committee for epidemics and health emergencies response, tailored towards the coordination of the determined response undertaken by the government together with bilateral and multilateral partners.

Going by an official statement that was made by the minister at the press briefing, no suspected case of Ebola had been reported as at August 8, 2014. However, officials claim necessary measures have already been taken to counter the possible emergence of the disease. One of such action, it was noted, is a response plan developed by the Center for Disease Control, World Health Organisation, and Global Viral Cameroon.

Moreover, two Ebola kits from the Democratic Republic of Congo are confirmed to have reached Cameroon with 100 protective clothing for the medical staff.

In addition, the MINSANTE boss disclosed that surveillance has been strengthened in all the health districts on the borders, particularly at the level of health posts in airports and seaports. More so, management and isolation units of Ebola cases have already been identified at the Yaounde central hospital, Laquintinie hospital in Douala, Bamenda, Bertoua, Garoua, Maroua, Limbe and Ngaoundere regional hospitals.

“The capacity of regional authorities has just been reinforced during a workshop that took place in Douala under the supervision of experts from WHO Afro, and GVC… it is expected that in the days ahead, specific days of immersion for the media, forces of law and order and other stakeholders will be held”, Mama declared with much conviction.

Following the above measures which public health authorities say are on standby to push back the Ebola virus whenever it comes knocking, minister Mama Fouda, concerned as he appeared to be, was optimistic that officials under his jurisdiction will not ‘misbehave’ in relation to the management of funds to counter Ebola.

Ugly stories of the past

In is still on record that several health officials have be found wanting in the management of health funds by the disciplinary committee of the supreme state audit, the national anti-corruption commission, the law courts and international non-governmental organisations.

Some years back, the special criminal court found the former minister of public health Urbain Olanguena Awono guilty of misappropriation of 200MFCFA in an agreement with the Cameroon Social Marketing Association to fight against Malaria. Also, in the heart of a malaria-troubled Cameroon, Awono shared collective responsibility for the embezzlement of Highly Indebted and Poor Countries Initiative (HIPC) funds through a fake contract for the supply of insecticide-treated mosquito nets awarded to Vision Sarl.

The above case is not an isolated example. Many others abound where doctors redirect drugs to private clinics, steal money meant for health campaigns amongst others.

It is hoped that the wish of the minister for transparency in the fight against Ebola will be real, for Cameroon shares a very porous border with Nigeria that has already recorded 2 cases of Ebola related deaths