Health

WHO ‘Should Pay Reparations To Victims Of Sexual Abuse By Staff’

WHO ‘should pay reparations to victims of sexual abuse by staff’

Survivors of sexual abuse by World Health Organization aid workers during the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Ebola outbreak in 2018 should receive “substantive” reparations, the co-chair of an independent inquiry into the scandal has said.

Julienne Lusenge, a prominent Congolese human rights activist, said it was “essential” that the UN’s global health body drew up a workable plan for reparations to respond to the “real needs” of women and girls who became victims of abuse.

“The issue of reparations is very, very important,” said Lusenge, executive director of the Fund for Congolese Women. “Babies were born; women were left unwell. So we think it’s important to have a holistic programme in which the alleged victims themselves will be the stakeholders.”

In a damning report published this week, the independent commission found 21 of the alleged perpetrators of serious abuses, including a number of rape allegations, were employed by the WHO. The scandal led to 29 pregnancies, with some women later being forced to have abortions by their abusers, the inquiry found.

In total, the commission interviewed 75 alleged victims aged 13 to 43. The youngest survivor recalled being offered a lift home by a WHO driver in the small town of Mangina in North Kivu. She said that instead of taking her home, the man raped her. She became pregnant and had a child, the report noted.

Lusenge and her fellow commission members called on the WHO to draw up a plan for making reparations to the survivors once the investigation had been completed. Many victims, they noted, had complained of receiving no help and being “left to deal with the physical and moral consequences” of the abuse on their own.

“So we are now waiting for the WHO to … provide substantive reparations,” Lusenge told the Guardian on Thursday.

“We think it’s important that a strong message be sent to all those who might one day embark on humanitarian programmes and abuse and exploit girls and women. For us, this is essential. We must make sure this reparations programme is properly drawn up and responds to the real needs of the victims.”

The report said some of the victims had suffered trauma as a result of the abuse, with some of the men administering abortion pills or injections to girls and women they had impregnated. Other victims had seen their financial insecurity worsen as a result of the abuse and exploitation. Two said that, after their pregnancies became public, they had been forced to stop their studies.

On Tuesday, as the report was released, the WHO’s director general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, vowed that there would be “zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, and zero tolerance for inaction against it”.

He said four people who were still employed by the WHO when it was made aware of the allegations had had their contracts terminated. Two other employees have been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into their handling of complaints. Apologising to the victims and survivors, Tedros said the WHO’s “central concern” now was providing them with “services and support”.

However, Dr Gaya Gamhewage, the WHO’s director of prevention and response to sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment, appeared to rule out formal reparations.

A person is vaccinated against Ebola in Beni in Democratic Republic of Congo in July 2019.
‘Humbled and heartbroken’: WHO finds its Ebola staff abused women and girls
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“We acknowledge that we need funds easily available on the ground for victim and survivor support. That’s very clear,” she said. “However, there is no provision in the UN system for financial reparations to the victims.”

Marcia Poole, a WHO spokesperson, said the body was working with UN partners to ensure that “all victims and survivors” were provided with support in accordance with the UN protocol on assisting victims of sexual exploitation and abuse, including medical and psychological support.

She said: “Some are receiving support through the UN system for the education of children born out of [sexual exploitation and abuse] as well as livelihood support, such as dressmaking, livestock farming and basket-making, so that they can sustain their families.

“We need to work with others to make sure such support is predictable, effective and provided at scale, as needed.”

Health

Yobe confirms 4 new polio cases

The Yobe Government has confirmed four new cases of polio in three Local Government Areas three years after the state was declared polio-free.

The Executive Secretary of the State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr Babagana Kundi-Machina, made this disclosure while launching a campaign against the disease in Machina, a border LGA with Niger Republic, on Saturday.

He said that the State Government, in collaboration with its partners, had launched a state-wide outbreak response and vaccination exercise to address the situation.

“It is unfortunate that after three years of being certified polio-free, we have recorded a circulating polio virus outbreak in Bursari, Machina, and Yusufari LGAs,” Kundi-Machina said.

The State Coordinator of the World Health Organisation, WHO, Dr Hamisu Alhassan, pledged the organisation’s support to the state toward curbing the outbreak.

He called on the public to adopt preventive measures, including personal and environmental hygiene, hand washing, and immunisation to boost immunity and promote good health, especially among women and children.

On his part, the Emir of Machina, Alhaji Bashir Machinama, urged his people to cooperate with the government by accepting the vaccine.

Machinama thanked the State Government for its prompt response and pledged to sensitise his community to take relevant steps to contain the disease.

Health

Cholera kills 11 in Ebonyi

A cholera outbreak in Ndibokote village, located in the Ezza Inyimagu area of Izzi Local Government, has claimed the lives of 10 people, including a nursing mother who leaves behind a nine-month-old baby.

The outbreak, confirmed by Ebonyi State Health Commissioner Dr. Moses Ekuma through a statement issued by ministry spokesperson Lucy Anyim, has affected approximately 20 others who are currently receiving treatment. Health officials are working diligently to contain the disease and prevent further spread in the community.

Dr. Ekuma noted that Governor Francis Nwifuru has approved the procurement of essential medical supplies to manage the crisis.

Additionally, three treatment centers have been established in the affected area, including Iziogo Health Centre, Sudan Mission Onuenyim, and a facility in Ndibokote village.

Open defecation and poor hygiene practices, along with reliance on stream water for drinking, are believed to be contributing factors to the outbreak.

Residents have been urged to follow precautionary measures to reduce the risk of further infections. Health authorities are on high alert to ensure the situation remains under control.

Health

Fubara approves employment of 2,000 Medical personnel

Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has approved the recruitment of 2,000 medical personnel and the payment of three years’ outstanding scholarship entitlements for medical students.

A press statement issued by Nelson Chukwudi, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, highlighted Fubara’s dedication to reversing the decline in academic standards in the state.

The Governor noted that in previous years, Rivers children were highly regarded for their academic excellence, a reputation that has since diminished due to the growing reward for mediocrity. Fubara vowed to restore this legacy.

Upon assuming office, Fubara said he was confronted with unpaid scholarship entitlements for medical students at the Rivers State University and that without hesitation, he authorized the release of funds, ensuring that students could continue their studies without frustration.

The Governor made these remarks during a courtesy visit by the accreditation panel of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), led by its Registrar, Dr. Fatima Kyari, at the Government House in Port Harcourt.

The delegation also included key officials from Rivers State University and the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Adaeze Chidinma Oreh.

Fubara emphasized the importance of infrastructure and support for academic growth, aiming to restore Rivers State’s status as a hub for educational excellence.

He expressed his disappointment in the current societal trend of valuing cultism over intellectual achievement but reaffirmed his administration’s resolve to change this narrative.

During the meeting, Fubara also noted that 1,000 medical personnel would be employed through the Rivers State Health Management Board, while the remaining 1,000 would be engaged by the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH).

He reiterated his commitment to promoting quality medical training and explained that his administration understands the financial challenges associated with medical education.

Dr. Fatima Kyari, speaking on behalf of MDCN, lauded the state’s commitment to infrastructure and training, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a high standard of medical education. She encouraged the state to further develop research opportunities to compete on a global scale.

Prof. Nlerum Okogbule, Vice Chancellor of Rivers State University, expressed gratitude to Governor Fubara for his unprecedented support, stating that the university is now a top choice in Nigeria and that the College of Medical Sciences has significantly boosted its national and international reputation.