Cameroon’s Minister of Public Health Dr Manaounda Malachie has debunked information saying that the ministry uses fuel worth 600million in three months.

Cameroon’s Public Health Minister

The information was published on december 2nd on one of the country’s newspapers, Le Messager, with the story appearing on the front page. According to the newspaper, officials in the Ministry of Public Health are consuming fuel worth FCFA 600 million after every three months.

Part of the newspaper carrying the headline in French

Dr Malachie has counteracted the information as it circulated on different social media platforms. Using his Twitter handle, the minister posted that information was fake and unfounded. “Regarding this headline in Le Messager, I would like to specify that it is indeed the overall fuel costs of the entire Ministry for the year 2020 for the 150 authorising officers and not for the Minister. Distorting information helps to create some buzz and serve certain interests,” Dr Malachie said.

Prior and after Dr Malachie’s tweet, Cameroonians have been raising different concerns regarding the allegation.

The Minister’s tweet

Njolai Fadil Sehka questioned if the Minister is aware of deaths recorded in some regions in Cameroon due to inability of concerned health unit to afford Hemodialysis machines.
“Do you know people are dying in regions of Cameroon because they cannot afford haemodialysis machine to treat them? And you are even trying to explain yourself saying it for the entire ministry. At one point we should sit down and reflect on priorities. People are dying…,” he said.

To Promise Arrey Eyong, the Minster to remain focus, for such information is meant to discredit him. “Your excellency it’s not a buzz it’s intentional to discredit your work. 2020 has been a pandemic year and every country’s health sector had huge spending on health issues .Maybe your ministry even has the lowest as compared to other countries. It’s a pandemic year and it’s normal,” Promise said.

Le Messager newspaper is yet to react to the Minister’s take on the story.

By Neville Mesumbe