Managing funds to fight the coronavirus raises questions in Madagascar

Text by: Sarah Tétaud Follow

Malagasy civil society organized Thursday July 2 a debate between the Ministry of Health and the citizens broadcast live on social networks, on the issue of the management of funds and equipment to fight the virus in Madagascar. What strategy to fight the virus? With what tools? The absence of answers on certain specific subjects did not work in favor of transparency.

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With our correspondent in Antananarivo

"  How can I know where all the funding that the Malagasy state has received since the start of the epidemic is going?"  The question of this surfer - that many are asking at the moment - could be asked to the guest of the debate, the secretary general of the Ministry of Health. “  Unfortunately, I did not get a satisfactory answer. In fact, no response at all.  "

Since the start of the pandemic, Madagascar has benefited from at least $ 598 million in budgetary aid granted by technical and financial partners. Hony Radert is the representative of the Collective of citizens and citizen organizations at the initiative of the debate.

“  Today, civil society organizations do not know how to use this money, what has already been used and to do what. We expect transparency regarding this, regarding health. We asked the secretary general of the Ministry of Health to find out what funds are allocated to him, what his budget is, and how he intends to use these funds and how we citizens, we can follow the distribution of these funds at level of the various structures concerned. We wanted details on the budget and on the strategy and the outlook; when will we reach the peak and when will the virus be declared finished. However, we did not have a clear answer to that this morning in the debate.  "

The internet user says he regrets the lack of communication on the part of the government, once the projects are launched. "  At the beginning, we are drenched in information, in the press, on Twitter, Facebook ... And as soon as the inauguration is done, we no longer hear about the project, who really benefited from it, what sums were distributed, invested, spent…  ”

"  For us ," continues Hony Radert, " the country is sailing by sight, in the fight against the Covid-19. Our politicians have to listen to our technicians. We, we have this perception that today, it is the presidency which leads the dance and that one does not take enough into account the technicians at the level of the ministry of health for example. However, it was before a health crisis; it should be them, the experts, that we listen to, who are at the front, to give us the news . "

This so-called “political” management of the crisis, the donors confirm. Opacity on the use of funds and the distribution of materials, too. Others especially regret the way in which health experts have long been sidelined in the management of this health crisis.

In addition, medical interns are still on strike to protest the lack of protective equipment. The health ministry had assured them that all would receive kits on Thursday. The long-awaited distribution did not take place. When questioned, the largest donors confirmed, however, that they had ordered and delivered protective equipment to the government at the end of June.

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• Madagascar
• Coronavirus

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