Guinea-Bissau’s minister of public health, Magda Robalo, has reported the alleged embezzlement of almost €1 million from the coffers of the country’s main hospital, saying that the case must be investigated by the judicial authorities.
In documents sent to Lusa by the minister herself, 600 million CFA francs (€914,000) are shown to have been diverted by certain persons for their own benefit.
The documents relate to the results of an audit by the country’s Court of Auditors of the accounts of Simão Mendes National Hospital from 2016 and the first quarter of 2018.
They point to the existence of “expenses incurred without specification of their nature, unjustified expenses and debts to third parties”, without any proper accounting.
The conclusions of the audit – which states that the directors of the Simão Mendes during that period are directly responsible – have already been passed on to police and prosecutors, said the minister, who said she expected “full clarification and criminal accountability.”
Robalo’s announcement comes at a time when Guinea-Bissau’s Ministry of Health is stepping up contacts with international partners to seek funds for the improvement of the public healthcare system in the country.
