Elias Ngalame
As part of an initiative to foster closer ties between the university, stakeholders and its surrounding communities, the University of Buea medical students successfully completed their health campaign in Bangem sub division, southwest aimed at delivering health services and information to vulnerable communities.
University communities and border towns have been earmarked as vulnerable areas to communicable and non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cancers and chronic respiratory diseases, HIV/Aids, tuberculosis, malaria, diarrhoea, viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted infections and neglected tropical diseases.
After the first phases in Fako and même divisions in 2022 and 2023, it is the turn of Kupemuanenguba in 2024.
Communities in Bangem Sub division like Nteho,Muambong,Muabi- nhia clan,Nkack, Eyandong etc, all received the health campaign team of student doctors.
BDO SUPPORT
The Bangem Development Organization (BDO) as the Mother Organization in the Sub Division and Great Partner mobilized to support during the Medical Campaign providing feeding to the Medical Campaign Team. It should be recalled that BDO has been involved in several development projects in Bangem like the great project undertaken to Electrify the Bangem District Hospital and the Morgue ( Mortuary).
decorating the amusement park during Christmas period and many more, thanks to contribution from it’s members at home and abroad. According to Nhon commissioner Ebong Ebong Bao, BDO is determined to work with partners to foster development in BANGEM sub division. ” We have several development projects in the pipeline for Bangem. BDO just need the collaboration of all sons and daughters of Kupemuanenguba in general and Bangem in particular to forge ahead. We want to thank all those who have been collaborating this far while encouraging others not yet there to come onboard. Together we can” commissioner Ebong said.
The medical team explained that these illnesses are among the leading causes of death and disability in low-income communities and marginalised populations, according to a 2021 World Health Organization report.
It is against this backdrop that the Buea University Medical Students’ Association,
launched a community health campaign providing screening, consultation and health sensitisation, among other services. It is the first project of its kind by health sciences students at a university in the country.
The first phase of the campaign ran from 31 July 2022 to 7 August 2022 in the seaside border towns of Limbe, Tiko and Mutengene as well as the university town of Buea.
The second phase in Kupemuanenguba ran from August 13-16,2024.
University authorities said their role is to serve the community and improve the well-being of the vulnerable population. Ngomo Horace Manga, the vice-chancellor of the University of Buea, said the project will be an annual event aimed at preventing and fighting communicable and non-communicable diseases in these vulnerable communities.
“It is the role of universities to engage primarily with compelling and immediate social issues of their immediate communities, alleviating widespread poverty, improving public health, achieving universal primary and secondary education, and enabling locally controlled economic development,” the vice-chancellor said on 7 August on the campus of the University of Buea.
According to health faculty officials, the purpose of the five-day health campaign was to provide free hospital services to the community by offering free consultations, laboratory services and pharmaceutical drug donations to the public. A main goal was to disseminate information about communicable and non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and kidney health.
“One of the main goals was to be able to assist patients in the various communities at their point of need” Dr Sama Britney, President of the association told ECO OUTLOOK.The students did both consultations and counselling, screening, and a good number of others who gave their all to ensure the campaign’s success,” said Zara Aichatou,the SG.
Goal is positive change in communities
Professor Gregory Edie Halle-Ekane, dean of the faculty of health sciences at the University of Buea, expressed the hope that the project will bring the university and communities much closer to each other, and also help students and health experts improve their research.
“We hope this will allow the University of Buea staff, researchers and students of disease modelling to access the practical skills, perspectives and sensitivity that international experts have in dealing with large-scale disease management while capitalising on those skills that only local organisations can provide. The hope is to enhance outcomes of the project as well as to create positive change in local communities,” Halle-Ekane said.
Ahume David, a fifth-year medical student, said: “The campaign is a welcome initiative that will permit students in training to understand the dynamics and importance of interacting with the local communities and understand their health challenges, even before they engage in full practice after graduation.”
During the campaign, the University Health Campaign caravan crisscrossed the Bangem Kupemuanenguba health area, visiting several neighborhoods and villages like Nteho , Muambong, Muabi- nhia clan, Nkack, Eyandong etc,reaching out to more than 40,000 families. The students visited targeted spots like parks, market women, traders, and churches.
Alice Mesember, a market vendor in Nkack said: “I have learned to dispose of all the waste after sales to avoid diseases like malaria and typhoid, thanks to the campaign.”
Shortages hamper the quality of care
Staff in most hospitals the university community visited complained about the frequent shortage of materials needed to perform dialysis and treat other diseases, causing them to follow an irregular schedule for days and weeks. Unfortunately, this negatively affects the overall quality of health of most patients and often results in death.
Heads of hospitals in Bangem agreed the community health campaign initiated by the university is welcome, especially with the emphasis on preventive measures. Prevention is better than cure. It saves the population the trouble of coming for treatment once infected when the equipment and logistics are not there and most of them cannot afford it, they said.
