By Adedapo Adesanya
In another round of efforts to push for transparency, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against President Muhammadu Buhari over his alleged failure to probe allegations that the sum of N3.8 billion is missing in the country’s health sector.
SERAP claimed that the alleged missing public fund is meant for the Federal Ministry of Health, teaching hospitals, medical centres, and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
The alleged missing fund was revealed in a 2018 audited report recently released by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.
The suit is coming in the wake of the controversy over Buhari’s travel to London for a routine medical check-up at a time the country’s resident doctors are on strike over unpaid salaries, upward review of hazard allowances, and COVID-19 care incentives, leaving millions of poor Nigerians without access to medical treatment.
In suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/433/2021 filed last week at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP is seeking “an order of mandamus directing and compelling President Buhari to investigate alleged missing N3.8bn health funds, and to promptly investigate the extent and patterns of widespread corruption in the Federal Ministry of Health, teaching hospitals, medical centres and NAFDAC.”
SERAP argued that “Corruption in the health sector exacerbates inequality in already unequal and unfair political, social, and economic environments, and produces a ‘cash and carry’ health care system based on one’s ability to pay for care or one’s political position.”
“Transparency and accountability in the management of health funds is essential for promoting access of people living in poverty to physical and mental healthcare, satisfactory health conditions, equality and non-discrimination, development, as well as good governance and the rule of law.
“The failure to investigate the alleged missing health funds, bring suspected perpetrators to justice, and to recover any missing public funds has exposed millions of poor Nigerians to serious health risks, amounting to violations of constitutional and international human rights and anti-corruption obligations,” it added.
Aduragbemi Omiyale