IPNEWS: This week USAID Country Director, Jim Wright, revealed that 90% of donated drugs to the Liberian government were being sold to private pharmacies resulting into continued shortage of essential drugs at health facilities in Liberia. Such acts of fraud according to USAID Mission Director had prevented ordinary Liberians from receiving basic essential drugs. The revelation prompted six civil society organization forming a united front to monitor and raise awareness on prevention of the sales of donated drugs.
The government of Liberia swiftly responded that it welcomes the revelation by Mr. Wright and vows to punish anyone involve in the sales of donated drugs.
Now, an influential youth of Nimba county and Executive Director, of the Community of Health and Social Science (CHESS), John Alexander Nyahn, Jr. tells the BBC that donated drugs by aid agencies especially USAID are free and should not be sold at any cost.
Nyahn stated that most of the medication stolen are basic malaria and antibiotic drugs, including other medication that has been provided by USAID and other donors to support universal coverage of Health achievement.
With experiences of similar occurrences in other countries as Uganda, Zambia where USAID donated drugs were stolen prompting an intense investigation, Mr. Nyahn said Civil Society Organizations in Liberia were mobilizing their various network and encouraging the government of Liberia, and the international community to ensure that an impartial investigation is launch as the revelation by USAID Country Director is concerning, especially the welfare of vulnerable population including woman and children.
“We see this revelation by USAID Country Director as very serious and call on the government to institute an impartial investigation and put in measures that will mitigate future reoccurrences of donated medicine being sold by a syndicate of corrupt network is compromising the image, welfare of ordinary Liberians. In this regard we call on the international community to assist the government of Liberia to ensure there is transparency and accountability by all its line actors in this investigation for speedy prosecution of those found to be responsible for this national embarrassment.” Mr. Alexander Nyahn told the BBC.
The CHESS Boss lauded the government through current Health Minister, Dr. Louise Kpoto resolved to prosecute corrupt health officials by recent indictment on several individuals of the Margibi county Health team in a procurement syndicate following an alarm by Civil Society Organizations in that provisional county, stressing that the proceedings must be speedily adjudicated to prevent continue waste and abuse within the health system.
On gaps created at the result of this criminal network of the sale of essential drugs to pharmacies thereby depriving vulnerable population from receiving them at Hospitals and other health facilities, Mr. Alexander Nyahn told the BBC that this is a syndicate by senior government officials, mainly within the Health supply chain system, including some senior government officials, and private sector actors mostly foreigners and Liberian business owners which require a wider investigation.
This week, US Agency for International Development (USAID) Country Mission Director, James Wright, revealed that at least 90% of drugs sold at pharmacies in Liberia were stolen medicines donated by aid organizations. the US Agency for International Development (USAid) has revealed.
USAid Mission Director Jim Wright at the weekend said such “acts of fraud” prevented Liberians from receiving donated essential medicines.
“That is unacceptable. That means that medicine is only available to patients that have enough money to buy them,” Mr Wright said.
Following the revelation, six Liberian civil groups have launched a national media campaign aimed at monitoring the distribution of aid medical supplies and raising awareness that donated medicines are free and should not be sold.
Mr Wright called for increased accountability, including the prosecution of those guilty of stealing and selling donated health supplies.
Mr. Wright termed the campaign launch as a pivotal moment in their collective efforts to address a critical issue affecting every Liberian’s health and well-being.
He used the occasion to thank the government, urging the need to recognize the tremendous efforts of Liberian healthcare workers.
Mr. Wright acknowledged the invaluable work of community health assistants in Liberia, adding that they play a crucial role in detecting and treating diseases like malaria. They contributed to Liberia’s success in cutting childhood malaria cases in half, with support from the U.S.
Mr. Wright indicated that in the president’s Malaria Initiative last year, life-saving medicines and other medical supplies worth 14 million US dollars were donated to the people of Liberia by the (USAID) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
He pointed out that those essential health products significantly reduce preventable deaths.
The USAID envoy expressed conviction that the Government of Liberia will also benefit from constructive partnerships with the Coalition, citing the example of Liberia’s National Public Health Initiative.
“To make a meaningful and sustainable impact on reducing fraud, the Government of Liberia must also assume more responsibility for ensuring accountability,” he said.
He added that the recent indictment of former Margibi County Health Team members and other complicit parties for corruption is a step in the right direction.
Mr. Wright stated that the next important step that the government should embark on is prosecution, and if the accused are found guilty, they must be punished by the law.
