Douala: Authorities crackdown on private health centres

News reaching us says the Divisional Officer of the Douala 4 area has embarked on an indiscrimate sealing of private health centers.

The ruthless action is said to be going on regardless of the presence of ailing patients in these establishments. The authorities are equally reported to be demanding 100,000FCFA from these health establishment for them to be reopened, despite most of them having an authorization to operate.

“He has already collected 100,000FCFA from at least 10 health centers each in Mabanda and Bonaberi…,” testifies a health worker in one of the affected establishments.

“This is clear administrative robbery. I think it would be ideal for us to face up to the competent authorities and seek explanations,” says another health worker.

“They started this strategy with makeshift pharmacies and now they have proceeded to shutting down health centers, without any pity and fear for the fate of the patients in them,” he continued.

While proceeding to these closures, we are also told that many patients in some of the affected health centers are practically pulled out of the wards and the places sealed.