Life Bridge International Inaugurates Cameroon Branch, Aims Swift Access to Underprivileged Communities

By Synthia Lateu & Boris Esono Nwenfor

BUEA, July 24, 2023 – The US-based humanitarian organization, Life Bridge International has officially launched its branch in Cameroon. The ceremony on July 23, 2023, saw the Inauguration of a new office and an office vehicle in Cameroon's Southwest Regional Capital, Buea.

“As CEO of Life Bridge, I am quite excited about the launching of this office because it marks the beginning of serious business activities. I expect the Cameroon office to be our representative on the ground and that they will work closely with the main office of Life Bridge International in Maryland USA to pilot its affairs in Cameroon," Richard Nkwetta, CEO of Life Bridge International told Pan African Visions.

Believing in taking action with urgency to raise awareness about some of the most pressing issues facing today's society in Cameroon, Life-Bridge International looks to save lives through the teaching and creation of emergency health situations appropriately through evidence-based practices. The organization is resolute that it will continue to impart the necessary skills to the communities and alleviate the health situation of the various communities.

Life Bridge International pledges to impact the lives of Underprivileged

The Representative of the CEO of Life Bridge International, Ngoasong Romanus Nkwetta said the move is to facilitate access to the interior towns of the country and to permit easy outreach of the Underprivileged.

"We inaugurated the office and then the car so that they shouldn't have that difficulty of moving to the people. Because, like they are underprivileged, we have to move to them, we have to look for them, to try to change their lives," he told Pan African Visions, following the launch.

Ngoasong Romanus Nkwetta furthered that, the organization is engaged in a yearly Health Care activity with three months follow up of all its patients, which also accounted for the need to create easy access to them. He said: "We organize internally displaced and underprivileged people. We give them access to health care at zero cost."

Most of the people targeted by the organization according to the Representative and coordinator of Life Bridge International in Cameroon, Anulegeh Christopher are far away from the city. "We had difficulties going to them. The last time that we went to Dschang, we had to struggle to go and meet these people. With the means they have given us, our task will be easier because we will go, identify the people in need, and enable them to get assistance and even be able to do a follow-up," he said.

Life Bridge International's Cameroon team has been tasked to go to the underprivileged. "Organise meet-ups where they (the team) talk to them(underprivileged). For those that we have seen, that we have consulted, they have to follow up with the monitoring to see how the treatment is evolving," Ngoasong Romanus Nkwetta charged.

Partnerships help drive Life Bridge International

Life Bridge International believes in partnership especially when it comes to community service and development. According to Richard Nkwetta, they are partnering with other NGOs to provide community services and projects.

“Currently working on a project which we shall make public when the time comes. Our doors are open for people with great ideas to come and talk with us on how we can better assist in community projects and development,” Richard Nkwetta said.

"Projects that have the potential to impact the people at the grassroots because that's the basis on which Life Bridge International was founded. We want to be able to create community resources and get the community involved in sustainable development projects."

“Since the last medical mission that was organized by LECUDO-USA in partnership with Life Bridge International, Healing Beyond the Horizon, Fiangep Polyclinic and Mary Health of Africa Hospital Fontem, Life Bridge International has been working closely with Healing Beyond the Horizon and other partners to plan for the next projects. We just shipped some medical supplies to Cameroon which we shall be donating to some healthcare facilities in Cameroon."

"We have some major projects coming up which we shall make public when the time comes. However, we continue to work with other NGOs to plan for activities. We are looking forward to the next medical mission in early 2024,” concluded Richard Nkwetta, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC, LNC.

Life Bridge International's new office at Mile 17 neighbourhood in Buea, Cameroon is said to be open to everyone. "If people have critical cases that they think that, they need medical assistance, they can always refer the cases to the office and the office will ascertain if they can start medical assistance, before their yearly activity and even do a follow-up after that,” Barrister Awungnjia Tetchounkwi, lawyer for Life Bridge International said.

“Because sometimes we may not wait till one year to do the medical follow-up. We may have critical cases that, if we started now, could save a life. This NGO has come to bridge the line between the haves and the have-nots, especially during this period of crisis, there are a lot have become displaced. They barely even have food or shelter."