The United Nations has condemned the attack which targeted Mamfe district hospital in the South West region of Cameroon.
In a communique made public on June 10, the UN’s acting humanitarian affairs coordinator in Cameroon “ strongly condemns the destruction of the Mamfe district hospital in the South West region “. For the UN official, “the Mamfe district hospital covers more than 85,000 people living in the region. The hospital serves as a primary medical referral covering the medical needs of remote areas in Manyu Division. Its destruction will deprive the population of urgent care and will further weaken the local health system“.
On the night of Wednesday 8 to Thursday 9, june 2022, unidentified gunmen attacked Mamfe district hospital. This hospital center was reduced to ashes by armed men who spared the mortuary and the pharmacy according to witnesses.
Although no injuries were recorded, the Ministry of Public Health however noted that “ the flames of rare violence completely consumed 9 buildings out of the 12 in the said hospital “. This source adds that “ no loss of human life is to be deplored among the 49 patients who were there ”.
According to the UN, “at least five attacks on health care have taken place since January 2022″. “The crisis in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon has resulted in a large number of attacks on healthcare, with healthcare workers or patients threatened, abducted, injured or killed, as well as damaged or destroyed medical infrastructure,” the communique read.
The Acting Coordinator recalls that “Attacks against healthcare workers, patients and facilities are serious violations of international human rights law, they must be investigated and the perpetrators must be held accountable. held accountable“.