03/05/2011
Some of the health facilities in Western Côte d'Ivoire are not operational according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The agency has conducted a mission to assess the damage to the infrastructure destroyed during the conflict that followed the result of last year's presidential election.
WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic says that the priority now in the West African country is to keep the crowded facilities operational and to reopen those that are closed.
"In regions of Montagna Moyen Cavally, 55 out of 106 health centres are not operational and 5 out of eight hospitals. And this is due to the lack of personnel. It is due to looting of drugs and medical equipment or partial or total destruction of health infrastructures. Sixty per cent of health workers are absent and those who have stayed have not received salaries for three months."
WHO has signed a three month agreement with its partner non-governmental organizations to provide financial support to health workers.
The agency says that most health facilities in the commercial capital, Abidjan, are operational but there is a shortage of essential supplies.
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