Puntlanders seek medical help beyond the State. Why? You would be surprised to find out the main reason behind hundreds of Puntlanders routinely traveling to Mogadishu and Hargeisa for their personal medical care.
It is simply unchecked and run-away corruption in the heath department, whereby health management personnel and health professionals are engaged in massive embezzelment of donated funds and medicine for private business profit. The dire situation reminds one of Somali aid workers selling donated relief food in the black markets in Mogadishu in the height of Ogaden War refugee crisis after the war of 1977-78.
This is the reason why successive Puntland administrations couldn’t build, at minimum, one or two decent qualified hospitals in the State. Mind you, health professionals are in abundance in Puntland – there is no shortage of doctors, but they take the lead from the Health Ministry to indulge in predatory practices and inhumane greed.
The Ministry of Health comes next to Puntland Ministry of Finance in creating millionaires busy in constructing mansions and villas in Garowe and Nairobi with illegally acquired funds. You would say, this an exaggeration. Make credible enquiries yourself about the serious misuse of resources in these two Puntland Ministries.
President Deni New Administration has daunting tasks to fix this mess.
Postscript
Reports on theft of donated medicines and equipment from Qardho, Galkayo and Garowe are alarming. No prevention of looting or accountability in place in all public hospitals in the State.
Feature picture: Nurses on strike against return of corrupt official to workplace in Qardho General Hospital.
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