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Assessing Medical Needs for Rural Poor in Cameroon

(Nascent Solutions, as the shepherding organization, sponsored and funded a needs assessment mission for an international medical expert for 25 health centers in Cameroon).

In June 2006 Nascent Solutions undertook an extensive needs assessment exercise for the 25 health centers that are run by the Health Apostolate of the Diocese of Kumbo in Cameroon’s North West Province. The objective was to determine the sort of equipment that could be realistically sought and procured for these rural health centers and how much it would cost.

To this end, Nascent Solutions sponsored and funded a trip to the region by a health specialist from the Boston-based International Medical Equipment Collaborative (IMEC).

Dr. Susan Crawford, a medical doctor and volunteer for IMEC, joined Nascent President and CEO Dr. Beatrice Wamey in Cameroon on June 17, 2006 for visits to health centers in the Diocese to assess their needs for future upgrades and refurbishing.
 
The two visited the Catholic Health Units of Tadu and Meluf in Kumbo and Sabongari in Nwa sub-division, all of which fall under the Diocese of Kumbo. Although Tadu Health Centre was the principal point of focus of the visit, Meluf and Sabongari are among the 25 health centers of the diocese that will benefit from the Nascent Solutions /IMEC Health project.

At a welcome ceremony, Beatrice thanked the communities of Tadu, Meluf and Sabongari for beginning the initiative to set up the health units at their level. Though poor, these rudimentary centers served the medical purpose and helped to refer severe cases to capable hospitals like Shisong Catholic Hospital and Banso Baptist Hospital (B.B.H) in Kumbo. Their efforts, she continued, would encourage the donation of more equipment and medication to flow through from America.
 
The Matron of the Tadu Center, Sister Cecile, said that ignorance among the local population and the challenging road infrastructure has caused the death of many of the people in this locality. They have remained very much attached to the phenomenon of traditional treatment and have always reported to the health center at the point of death. When referred to hospitals, they often refuse for fear of incurring high bills, which they will not be able to pay, she said.       
   
The two visitors from the United States were able to see some of these challenges for themselves as they navigated dangerous mountain tracks to reach some of the more remote areas such as Sabongari.