Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has filed a
lawsuit against the President,Muhammadu Buhari, over his
alleged failure to probe allegations that N3,836,685,213.13 is missing in the
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.
It stated this was documented in the recently released 2018
audited report 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.”
In the suit, 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.”
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