After the incident in Nguti, in the NOSO region, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) broke the silence and gave its version of the facts.
The Cameroonian government accuses Doctors Without Borders of illegally taking over separatists and exfiltrating them. With proof to support it, the denunciation was undiplomatic. Following these allegations, the humanitarian organization is concerned about the safety of its staff. "Allegations of complicity with any actor in a conflict put MSF patients and staff at serious and immediate risk," a statement read.
Reporting its version of events, MSF said it had received a call about an injured person in need of urgent assistance in the Tinto health zone. "One of our ambulances managed to pick him up the next morning in the Ashum region and given his serious condition, he had to be transferred to Mutengene via Kumba for surgical treatment,"said the NGO.
"As agreed and done regularly," the organization continues, "… MSF had contacted the local military authorities beforehand, informed them of the transfer of an injured patient to Mutengene and shared his age and gender as requested. Despite this, the ambulance was stopped by Cameroonian security forces at the Nguti checkpoint. They are forced to return to Mamfe, where the patient had to be treated and stabilized.».
This new incident calls into question MSF's neutrality in the English-speaking zone (NOSO). Indeed, a year ago, the Cameroonian government suspended the activities of the NGO in the Northwest. According to MSF, this suspension has had disastrous consequences for people in need. They have not had access to the basic health care and emergency services that the NGO offers.
