Citizen Led Monitoring – Improving access to basic medication
Summary
Several reports including AC past investigations have gathered much information about the problem of corruption and ineffectiveness of distribution of subsidized healthcare mostly around the programs of mosquito nets distribution and ARV treatment for HIV patients. Among the problems identified in the global analysis of the health system in Cameroon are – the qualitative and quantitative inadequacy of basic medications and inadequacy of monitoring and evaluation of its distribution.
While more solutions are explored to increase effectiveness of distribution of subsidized basic medication and carry a better monitoring and evaluation of its program, complaints on denied subsidized medication arrive from beneficiaries to the AC corruption hotline on a weekly basis.
Using the award-winning Ushahidi opensource software, the project allows citizens to text reports into a centralized system that filters the “crowd’s” voice into a reliable visual map thus using beneficiaries to monitor a development project, redefining indicators of success or failure for a development project. The project empowers development beneficiaries to reclaim development as their right rather than accept it passively as a charity handout. It introduces a fight against corruption led by citizens rather than the state or international community.
The project’s final report is expected to improve Cameroonians’ access to subsidized healthcare, as well as pioneer a new way to monitor development projects and improve their efficiency by applying available technology.