Over 20k Nigerian Health Workers Stranded as $1bn Vaccine Scheme Ends, Mastercard Foundation Reacts

• More than 22,000 health workers from Nigeria and other regions have not been paid for health services rendered
• This follows the termination of the $1.5 million COVID-19 delivery scheme by Mastercard Foundation and Africa CDC
• A Devex report found that sponsors of the scheme are investigating cases of missing contracts and others
• Mastercard Foundation and Africa CDC have told Legit.ng that the issues are being resolved

A $1.5 billion COVID-19 delivery scheme launched by the Mastercard Foundation and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention recently ended abruptly. This has left more than 22, 000 health professionals, mainly Nigerians, stranded.

Following theft charges, the funders demanded an examination of every programme across the continent.

According to a Devex study, an internal circular from July reveals that funders are paying close attention to instances of unbudgeted positions, workers paid without proof of finished work, and missing contracts and invoices.

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Workers have not been paid for months

BusinessDay reports that some Nigerian workers have gone four to six months without receiving payment for their services.

They have been informed that the Mastercard Foundation and Africa CDC have not made the necessary financial arrangements to pay them.

Some have been informed that it is due to the ongoing audit and that proper procedures, such as the absence of employment letters, signed attendance records, and worker identity verification, were not followed.

Those who spoke with BusinessDay expressed their frustration, as they explained how the daily N1,500 they were promised accumulated to six digits.

Meanwhile, Devex reported that the Africa CDC and Mastercard Foundation have declined to comment on what's happening in Nigeria.

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Why funding was stopped

AFENET, the African Field Epidemiology Network, was hired by the Mastercard Foundation.

The Uganda-based nonprofit group works in 31 countries across Africa to manage finances and issue payments to entities implementing the programme. The work has been monitored and evaluated by Africa CDC.

But as soon as the World Health Organisation proclaimed that the COVID-19 pandemic was no longer a global health emergency in early May, the programme required a strategic change.

The Mastercard Foundation and Africa CDC sent a letter announcing the audit and halt in spending and launched an investigation into spending.

Cases of missing receipts, attendance lists, signed contracts, and discrepancies over exchange rates.

There were also discrepancies in the number of vaccine doses reported by Africa CDC and the organisations operating in countries.

Cases of unaccounted-for receipts, signed contracts with attendance lists, and differences in exchange rates were reported

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Also, the number of vaccination doses reported by the organisations operating in countries and the Africa CDC varied.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana have been selected to receive £15 million from the United Kingdom (UK) to support healthcare staff recruitment and retention.

Mastercard Foundation, Africa CDC say issues are being resolved

In a joint statement to Legit.ng, Mastercard Foundation and Africa CDC have stated that The pause addressed new activities and not payments due for completed work.

They added that the report referenced by Devex was part of a regular monitoring process and that many of the issues have already been addressed.

The statement reads:

The Saving Lives and Livelihoods Initiative is rooted in shared goals of strengthening public health institutions and improving public health and health security on the African continent. The Mastercard Foundation and Africa CDC remain committed to these goals and to the partnership.

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With the WHO declaration of the end of the COVID-19 pandemic as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on May 5, 2023, Mastercard Foundation and Africa CDC are assessing the work and impact of the first phase of the Saving Lives and Livelihoods initiative from its inception in July 2021, and looking to build on this through a second phase.

Saving Lives and Livelihoods is transitioning from emergency mode to a new phase. To enable evidence-based planning for the new phase, the Mastercard Foundation and Africa CDC are conducting an audit as part of necessary steps to establish what was achieved in phase one. The pause addressed new activities and not payments due for completed work. Regular monitoring has been in place to address operational issues that arise within an initiative of this size and complexity. The report that was referenced in the Devex features was part of the regular monitoring process and many of the issues have already been addressed.

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We are deeply concerned about pending payments and teams have been working with the relevant implementing partners towards a resolution. The matter is being resolved and payments will be issued.

The Saving Lives and Livelihoods Initiative is an unprecedented program which has achieved remarkable success to date, including over 34 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered in 25 member states, cold chain equipment distributed to 32 member states, 30 laboratories equipped for genomic sequencing of SARS-COV-2 and other pathogens and more than 22,000 jobs created, including senior health professionals, vaccinators, and community health workers.

As this initiative transitions to phase two, priority areas will be integration into routine immunization systems, addressing COVID-19 alongside other infectious diseases. The initiative will also continue to build Africa’s health security by strengthening public health institutions, enabling workforce development, and ensuring the pandemic preparedness for the continent.

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With countries like Sierra Leone and the Gambia offering much greater pay, up to $4000, there are concerns about the departure of Nigerian doctors of medicine and other healthcare professionals to other African countries, Legit.ng reported.

Appearing before the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee looking into racketeering in Federal Government agencies, Emem Bassey, Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, observed this growing practice.

Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) earlier expressed worry about the surging migration pressure on Nigeria's healthcare system. According to the report, over 9,000 medical doctors are left in the country.

Source: Legit.ng