The FCFA 30 million allocated for the purchase of contraceptives for the period spanning from 2013 to 2014 has been diverted by the Minister of Public Health, Andre Mama Fouda. The money has been used to refurbish a section in the Ministry of Public Health that was razed by fire some months ago.

The rechanneling of the funds to renovate the Ministry has come at a time when NGOs advocating for the funding of female condoms have been rejoicing that Government, for once, has made available funds for the purchase of female contraceptives. But their joy was short-lived, as the money destined for these contraceptives was diverted by the Minister.

The Post learnt that the Ministry of Public Health had, in 2013, budgeted circa FCFA 30 million for the purchase of contraceptives and promised to increase the amount to FCFA 75 million in subsequent years.

However, the Minister was forced to use this money to refurbish the Ministry after it was gutted by fire. “It is not a bad idea to refurbish the burnt section of the Ministry; Government should have sourced for finance elsewhere because funders of the female condom will soon be withdrawing their support in 2015.

Government needs to understand the importance of supporting the purchase of female condoms,” the President of one of the NGOs advocating for the purchase of female condoms told The Post.

According to her, it is against this backdrop that the 2014 Global Female Condom Day would be celebrated in Cameroon.

The event to be organised by Women, Health and Development, FESADE, in collaboration with the ACMS will provide an opportunity to educate the community on the proper use of female condoms.

The advocates for the purchase of female condoms maintained that the only preventive measure against HIV, sexually transmitted infections, STIs, and pregnancy, is the female condom. They, however, regretted that many women lack access to female condoms.