The Douala Gynaeco-Obstetric and Paediatric Hospital (HGOPED), a first-class public health facility established in 2014, has recently undergone an audit by the Audit Bench of the Supreme Court of Cameroon. Created to reduce maternal and infant mortality and decrease medical evacuations abroad, the hospital was expected to serve as a flagship for specialised healthcare in the country.

The audit conducted for the period from 2015 to 2020 presents a mixed picture of the hospital's performance. Despite having a capacity of 308 beds, the hospital experienced an average bed occupancy rate of only 37.6% between 2016 and 2019. The gynaeco-obstetric and paediatric departments, which are two of the hospital’s core units, showed particularly low activity levels, with occupancy rates of 32.45% and 41.33%, respectively. The audit indicates that this underutilization is primarily due to inadequate patient comfort and inconsistent quality of care.

The neonatology unit has shown a notable strength with a bed occupancy rate of 75%. However, this success is overshadowed by a concerning neonatal mortality rate of 75%, indicating significant challenges in the quality of neonatal care and medical supervision.

The hospital has greatly benefited from strong international cooperation, particularly through partnerships with China, Belgium, and France. These collaborations have led to improvements in infrastructure and the acquisition of modern medical equipment. However, the Audit Bench identified some significant weaknesses, such as inadequate maintenance of donated equipment, delays in handover procedures, and a mismatch between certain donations and the hospital’s actual needs.

The audit highlighted serious concerns regarding the hospital's governance and information systems. Despite investing in several expensive software programs, HGOPED continues to experience persistent malfunctions. These issues have resulted in discrepancies in personnel data, payroll management, and pharmaceutical inventory records, exposing the institution to significant operational and financial risks.

In conclusion, the Audit Bench acknowledged HGOPED's significant potential but stressed the urgent need for organisational reform. It provided ten recommendations focused on improving governance and accountability, ensuring proper maintenance of equipment, upgrading information management systems, and revitalising the hospital's medical services to fulfil its original mission.