The Minister of Public Health, Dr Manaouda Malachie has once more dangled the sledge hammer of the law over those operating irregular health facilities.
The minister says such doubtful facilities are a threat to the health of Cameroonians. Dr Manaouda on Wednesday July 20 said technical services of the Ministry found out the number of health centres and other clandestine health facilities is on the rise in several towns and cities of the country. He sent a grim warning to promoters and accomplices of the said health facilities. Some of such facilities operate with the aid of unscrupulous health ministry workers, who help them sidestep the needful. “The practice of health professions, as well as the creation and opening of private health facilities are governed by legislative and regulatory texts, and must respect strict rules of ethics and deontology,” the Minister remarked. “The illegal practice of medicine is an offence punishable by law,” Dr Manaouda warned adding that these facilities compromise the health of the population. “As it leads to, on the one hand, a significant number of deaths among pregnant women due to late referrals from the initial health facilities, and on the other hand, to an influx of cases of patients who arrive very late in the referral health facilities, and who present serious complications from bad medical practices,” he said. The Minister blamed the upshot in the number of haemodialysis patients on the malpractices in these centres. “As well as many other consequences,” he said. Dr Manouda also admonished dealers in the illicit distribution of medicine saying that the criminal activity, punishable under the Penal Code, is dangerous to the life of fellow compatriots. The Minister advised the population to runway from such centres, use the toll-free number 1506 and ministry’s website to denounce these medical facilities.
The Minister has announced a serious campaign, “in the days ahead,” to clean up the health sector geographical map throughout the country. The drive, he said, will include legal proceedings against owners of clandestine health facilities. “This operation will of course be carried out in conjunction with the various existing professional orders, which he asked to fully invest in this operation to safeguard the health of Cameroonian populations,” he added.
Jude VIBAN
