By Boris Esono Nwenfor
NGUTI, PAV – The 23rd edition of the Cameroon English-Speaking Medical Students’ Association (CAMESA) annual health campaign has opened in Nguti Subdivision, Kupe Muanenguba Division of the South West Region, bringing free medical services closer to underserved and crisis-affected communities.
The five-day campaign, which began on Tuesday, August 11, is being carried out in Nguti and Manyemen and will extend to communities including Mboka, Ntale and Eyang before concluding on Saturday, August 15.
Inhabitants are benefiting from a wide range of services, including general medical consultations, dental consultations, laboratory screening, cardiovascular health checks, free medication, health education and both minor and major surgical procedures.
CAMESA estimates that at least 2,000 people will receive direct medical treatment during the campaign, while the broader health education and sensitisation activities could reach approximately 4,000 residents.
Bringing Healthcare to Communities in Need
For more than two decades, CAMESA has been organising large-scale medical outreaches across Cameroon, particularly in rural, underserved communities affected by crisis.
The association, made up of medical students and doctors from the English-speaking educational background, seeks to give back to communities that have supported its members while addressing healthcare gaps in areas where access to medical services remains difficult.
Dr Lamuela Chin, a General Practitioner from the Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences of the University of Yaoundé I and one of the general overseers of the Nguti campaign, said the choice of Nguti was deliberate.
According to her, CAMESA traditionally alternates its campaigns between the North West and South West Regions but expanded its geographical reach following the crisis that erupted in 2016.
The association has since organised campaigns in other parts of the country, including the West and Littoral Regions. “As things are getting calmer, we are coming back to our roots,” Dr Chin explained, adding that several scouting missions were conducted before Nguti was selected as this year’s campaign site.
‘Some People Just Need Hope’
Beyond the medicines, consultations and surgeries, CAMESA Dr Chin says the campaign is also intended to restore hope among communities that have experienced years of hardship. “People sometimes don’t even need the medication that we bring or the services that we provide. People just need hope,” she said.
She explained that the health education sessions could encourage residents to adopt healthier lifestyles while reassuring them that they had not been forgotten. CAMESA also plans to maintain contact with patients after the campaign. Those undergoing surgery will receive follow-up calls beginning from the day of their operation, with additional checks on the third and seventh days.
Qualified specialists rather than medical students will carry out the surgical component of the campaign. Dr Chin explained that surgeons and anaesthetists will handle the procedures, while general practitioners will coordinate follow-up care.
The surgical team, led by Dr Bwele Georges through Ascovine, is expected to perform the procedures free of charge on Saturday. CAMESA says Ascovine has supported its medical campaigns for approximately a decade.
Other long-standing partners include the Ministry of Public Health, Cameroon Town Hall for Healthcare Professionals and the Mercy Azoh -Mbi Foundation which provides personnel for cardiovascular screening and supports the campaign with accommodation and other assistance.
Gwags Gives First Mbal Lekeaka Fund Support
This year’s campaign has received significant financial backing from Gwags Foundation, making the CAMESA Nguti outreach the first initiative to receive support from the organisation’s Mbal Lekeaka Fund. The fund is designed to identify credible community-led initiatives and provide them with resources to translate their ideas into concrete action.
Giovanny Bikak Mbal, Board Chair and Interim Executive Director of the Gwags Foundation, said the partnership reflects the organisation’s strategy of working with local groups that already have the trust of communities.
“We don’t just want to focus on a particular mission. We want to be able to solve as many problems on the ground that Cameroon is facing and even in society at large,” he said.
He explained that Gwags prefers to work with organisations that have demonstrated capacity and established relationships with communities rather than attempting to address every challenge independently.
According to him, CAMESA’s more than 20 years of experience and its presence in more than 30 health districts made it a natural partner. The focus on Nguti was also influenced by the impact of the Anglophone crisis on communities in the area, which, he said, created an urgent need for additional resources and services.
Bikak Mbal said Gwags views healthcare, education, poverty and other social challenges as interconnected. He cited the organisation’s scholarship programme, through which students have received financial assistance, as an example of its broader approach.
The organisation, he said, wants to develop partnerships capable of addressing several interconnected challenges and ultimately helping communities become more self-sustainable.
Health Screening Reveals Hidden Conditions
The laboratory screening component of the campaign has already identified inhabitants with potentially high blood sugar levels. Diana Rose, a laboratory scientist working with the campaign, said several patients aged 50 and above were found to have elevated blood sugar, with some unaware that they could be pre-diabetic or diabetic.
She said those with abnormal results were being advised to seek further medical attention and were counselled on lifestyle changes. Rose stressed the importance of reducing excessive sugar intake, eating a balanced diet, and engaging in regular physical activity, noting that lifestyle choices play a key role in managing blood sugar levels.
Samuel Afue, a 55-year-old inhabitant of Nguti, said the campaign had allowed him to undergo dental and other health checks, including screening for suspected high blood pressure. He also expressed appreciation for the medication and follow-up appointments provided by the medical team.
Another inhabitant, 65-year-old Amah Andrew, described the reception by the CAMESA team as satisfactory. He said he had sought dental consultation and hoped that some of the dental procedures he requires could be provided during future CAMESA visits.
