Cameroon: A Beacon Of Hope For Lebialem Community In Mary Health Of Africa Hospital.

By Boris Esono Nwenfor

LEBIALEM, Cameroon – Inaugurated in the year 1969, the Mary Health of Africa General Hospital stands as a beacon of hope to patients living within and without Fontem. The medical facility has unfortunately seen the brunt of the Anglophone crisis in the Division.

Eric Njinkeng, Mary Health of Africa Hospital Manager said: “The initiative of creating a hospital or health facility came from the late Fon of Fontem, Fon Defang at that time. The idea came because there was high infant mortality.”

"The idea of Mama Chiara who created this hospital was not to make it famous but to make people feel our love. With the way things are going, we believe that the hospital will come back to the way it was before… Before the crisis, people used to come even from the cities to benefit from our services. You can see the structure, it resembles a reference hospital.”

In the evening hours, there is a vigorous buzzing sound that pierces the calm and gentle evening storm as the few patients in the hospital settle into their beds to sleep off the night. It is the sound of the generator, supplying the much-needed electricity to some parts of the hospital.

The Mary Health of Africa Hospital was inaugurated in the year 1969 by Mons. Julius Peter, Chiara Lubich, founder of the Focolare Movement and the then Fon of Fontem, Fon Defang, according to a document from the Focolare Movement.

The Hospital has a bed capacity of almost 120 beds, including those provided at the dispensary in Fonjumetaw. The situation is, however, different today as most of these beds are presently empty due to the ongoing crisis.

In 2012, statistics for MHA show that there were 12, 000 consultations at Mary Health of Africa Hospital, 300 major operations (like laparotomy, herniotomy, appendectomy, cleaning of burns), 450 deliveries, 2250 in-patients of which 1400 were adults and 850 children.

Challenges are abound

The constant usage of generators does not come cheap. It needs fuel to run which is expensive if it is to run 24/7. But Mary Health of Africa has become innovative to beat back the lack of constant electricity the use of solar energy; though solar power cannot sufficiently power all parts of the hospital.

“The aspect of electricity has affected us adversely. We have accrued a lot of expenditure buying fuel to run a big generator for the hospital. At times, it is not easy following the processes of having the permission to even go and buy because of so many checks and what we are living through,” Eric Njinkeng, Mary Health of Africa Hospital Manager said.

"During this period, transport is very high; there is no maintenance on the road. Transporters have increased transport rates which has affected patients. The Focolare Movement which is the owner of this hospital suspended their activities because of the risk that was coming up. Because of that, parts of the population became scared and thank God that some courageous staff decided to stay and help the hospital.”

Eric Njinkeng added: “The challenges for staff are in regards to the risk of staying in such an environment. For the patients, there is poverty, and no market to buy food. It is only now that things are gradually improving.”

LECUDO USA to the rescue

The Lebang Cultural and Development Organization, LECUDO USA has stepped in to provide some assistance to the hospital. This includes the setting up of a health fund that is subsidizing the prices of some services.

“… Already, they have a health fund that is subsidizing pre-consultation to patients who come to Mary Health of Africa, free bed fees for patients who are admitted, 50 per cent reduction for patients who are on epileptic treatment, free delivery fee for pregnant women to encourage the population not to remain at home when they are sick. The whole population of Lebialem is benefiting. This program is for the Lebang community around Lebang are also benefiting from the services,” Eric Njinkeng said.

“The first improvement is the number of volunteers who have come to the hospital, especially the medical doctors. Last year, there was only one medical doctor and this year, we have up to 6. It is a very good thing for us because what we witnessed last year as people came and could not manage to consult and went back home without consulting, this year it will not happen the same.”