DWB Rescues Mamfe Hospital
By Nadesh. E.
For the past two months, the town Mamfe in the South West Region has been without electricity. A tour around the town shows those with power supply are those using either a generator or solar energy and those who cannot afford any, stay in darkness. Denizens complain it is one of the many factors hindering business growth in the town.
However, despite the blackout, the District hospital has not experienced power failure for the past months. The Director of the Mamfe District Hospital, Doctor Tabi John Fosong says work has been smooth and exciting especially with the constant availability of electricity, increase in the number of health personnel, constant supply of health equipment, fast interventions of ambulances and financial and moral motivation of health workers at the hospital.
This he says is all thanks to the presence and activities of the International Medical Humanitarian organization, Doctors Without Borders, DWB-MSF.
He made the remarks at the Hospital on Wedneeday, September 8, 2021 during the installation of a new 150kva Generator and many other donations to the hospital by Doctors Without Borders.
Doctor Tabi mentioned that since their partnership with the humanitarian organization in 2018, the hospital has treated more patients irrespective of who they are due to aid from the organization.
This giant generator plus a 35Kva backup generator is coming to replace the one donated by GIZ in 2005 which was already proving costly to manage and maintain.
The work of the organization seemed to be noticed by almost everyone living in Mamfe. The Senior Divisional Officer for the Manyu division who was represented at the event by his first assistant, Vongwai Janvier Duclair confirmed the Medical organization has been doing a great job, treating people for free and has pledged his support and that of his administration to them.
“This donation is very timely, I thank Doctors Without Borders on behalf of the Minister of Public Health, the recruitement of youths, the timely intervention of the ambulance and free treatment of persons is a very good gesture from you, you have the support of the administration in Mamfe…”
Apart from these new generators, Doctors Without Borders has donated and carried other humanitarian activities in the division https://cameroonnewsagency.com/doctors-without-borders-budgets-1-6-billion-cfa-for-mamfe-donates-hospital-equipment/
However, Mamfe has not been the only division of intervention, the Kumba District hospital in the Meme division has also enjoyed the donation of a 165Kva giant generator, wash and waste segregation material, Biomedical equipment, cleaning material and water supply rehabilitation from DWB.
These activities in the South West Region the Emergency Coordinator of DWB, says are to improve access to health Care for their areas of intervention.
DWB’s Major achievements since 2020 in the South West Region.
During his presentation at the Mamfe District Hospital on Saturday, Mr Zakaria Mwatai recounted some of the activities the organization has been doing with its 3.6 billion Francs CFA for the South West Region in 2020.
-In 2020, DWB carried out eight hundred and fifty -two thousand, six hundred (852,600) consultations
-Meanwhile, sixty-five thousand, eight hundred and eighty-nine (65, 889) children were screened for malnutrition.
-Also, the team carried out six thousand, four hundred and twenty-seven (6,427) antenatal consultations and eight hundred and ten (810) babies were delivered.
-The Doctors Without Borders Mental Health Unit carried out Two thousand and thirty-five (2035) individual mental health sessions.
-The ambulance health call center carried out four thousand, eight hundred and twenty-eight (4,828) ambulance referrals and three hundred (300) major surgeries.
Since 2021, the 4.4 billion budget for the South West is being used as follows:
-Community Health Staff under the umbrella of Doctors Without Borders have Carried out seventy-five thousand, two hundred and fifty-five (75,255) consultations.
-Also, thirty-two thousand, five hundred and forty-two (32,542) consultations have been carried out at primary health facilities.
-Four hundred and fifty-five (455) surgical interventions plus three hundred and nineteen (319) referrals done.
-One thousand, five hundred and ninety-one (1,591) mental health consultations.
In appreciation of the organization, the 1st Deputy Mayor of the Mamfe, Agbor Benson Besong in his presentation traced DWB’s activities from 2018 and says its activities are the best. He also outlined some of the good works it has been doing ranging from connecting health centres from Mamfe to Eyumojock, Upper Bayang and Akwaya while employing and training health workers from the division.
DWB has provided free services and has saved the lives of our people during this perilous times…Services such as the emergency unit, and the mental health department have also helped to stabilize the traumatized patients…” Mr Agbor added.
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Doctors Without Borders has been existing since 1971, currently in 70 countries in the world. The organization has been helping the Cameroonian people via the government till 2018 when it extended its activities to victims of the armed conflict in the North West and South West Region. Despite the many lives the organization is saving, its activities have been banned in the North West Region on grounds that it is too close to separatist fighters. Meanwhile, administrations in divisions like Manyu (Mamfe) have pledged their support for the organization.
