SW Governor blames abandonment of referral hospital project on Anglophone crisis.

This was during a monitoring and evaluation session by a team from the Ministry of Public Health. The team visited the South West Region to monitor and evaluate resources transferred by the ministry to regional and local authorities. 

The Governor was responding to worries raised by the Mayor of Buea, David Mafani Namange, on the abandonment of the project while other regions have already seen similar structures erected and commissioned.

The mayor highlighted the importance of having the Referral Hospital completed to ensure the population fully benefits from quality healthcare. In attendance were actors such as the President of the South West Regional Assembly, mayors, District Medical Officers, health actors, administrative and security officials.

While the mayor was saluted for reminding the government that it was lagging in completing the project, the Governor’s response received muted responses from the audience. 

Most people expressed surprise that the project was not progressing while civilian structures were being constructed around the area daily.

Given that Buea is relatively calm and peaceful, the population had been expressing hope that the government will ensure the project is completed.

Addressing stakeholders during the meeting, Governor Okalia Bilai challenged stakeholders in the decentralisation process to work with health professionals and administrative officials to ensure proper use of devolved services.

On his part, the Director of Family Health at the Ministry of Public Health, Dr Ebongo Zacchaeus Nanje, and team leader edified participants on the current health structure. 

Dr Ebongo talked about the legal responsibilities devolved to local authorities, and the potential for enhancing service delivery through decentralisation.

With the advent of decentralisation regional and local authorities will be empowered to buy health equipment, employ temporary workers and have a say in the management of various health packages. 

Dr Ebongo said the resources transferred to the local and regional authorities are part of the state budget passing through the Ministry of Public Health for ownership by the local population. 

Despite resources, competencies transferred many health facilities, he regretted are not operational The Governor and Dr Ebongo decried the fact that despite the resources and competencies transferred to regional and municipal authorities, some health facilities in the region are still not operational.

In other cases, they said endless disputes between regional and local authorities and health officials on issues such as the acquisition of equipment, construction or rehabilitation of structures and employment of temporary staff are also hindering work.

Okalia Bilai challenged regional and local elected leaders to collaborate with leaders of health establishments like District Medical Officers and officials from the regional delegation of public health and other decentralised bodies to ensure the public receives quality health services. “Mayors are elected administrators who should allow health experts to do their job,” he cautioned

In the new dispensation, the Regional Assembly is expected to take charge of Regional and District Hospitals while the local councils are supposed to monitor integrated health centres and sub divisional hospitals. 

To ensure accountability at the level of regional and local authorities for resources devolved by the State, the governor reminded them that regular audits will be carried out to ensure the competencies and resources transferred are properly used.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post issue No:3254 of Wednesday October 09, 2024