Humanization of Health Services: Etoug-Ebe Baptist Hospital Sets Example

Inhabitants of the city of Yaoundé, visiting the Etoug-Ebe Baptist Hospital (EBHY), located in the Yaoundé VI subdivision, have expressed satisfaction with the level of healthcare services brought to them by the medical personnel of this hospital. 

Mama Sidonie, a young mother of three, who was admitted at the EBHY with her two kids and husband some 10 days ago described her stay at the hospital. She found herself there on the recommendation of her neighbor, who is a faithful visitor of this hospital.

After being admitted with her kids for four days, she and her husband vowed never to go elsewhere again, if ever the need of visiting a hospital arises.

“I love everything about this hospital, right from the first day. I came in with my sick children and husband at about 7:30 am that Monday. The consultation line was too long and I immediately started regretting why I didn’t go to my usual hospital. With all the frustration on my face, a nurse approached and ask what the issue was. She quickly took us to the emergency ward when I explained. She took our medical booklets and got us registered while skipping those who came before us. It was after ensuring that everything was under control that she resumed her service,” mama Sidonie explained.

She continued that “ I was particularly touched when the medical doctor who consulted my children left his office, went in search of my husband who had gone for his lab test to collect the money we needed to deposit to commence our treatment. He paid it at the cashier himself, then assisted me with my luggage and one of my children into the infant ward. He ensured that their first drips, which were to calm down their hightemperatures were put before he returned to his office.

The mother of three said her stay throughout her five days of admission were beyond “satisfactory.” The nurses according to her were humane, soft hearted, kind and selfless. “I didn’t go through any stress despite having three patients. Everything was done by the nurses. I didn’t have to rush to the pharmacy or laboratory for this and that.”

Just like mama Sidonie, other patients who visit this hospital attest that their services are largely satisfactory. “I know no other hospital since I came to Yaoundé except Etoug-Ebe. You need to see the nurses school us during pre-maternity visits,” affirms a pregnant lady, who says she has  been visiting the hospital for the past 10 years.

The accreditations attributed to the hospital by visitors do not come haphazardly, as the health facility carefully works under set roles in order to Archive that. “Our main intention is to bring people to Christ through the services that we render. So in order to attain that objective, we want to go an extra mile to provide care that can be a reference; an exemplary care with genuine compassion,” emphasized Mr. Monjuh Anthony Viyi, Administrator in charge of EBHY.

Besides it’s dedication in the rendering of human services, hygienic conditions in EBHY are highly appreciated by its visitors. All the departments are cleaned on a daily basis.

“There was never a day when our ward went unwashed. The toilets are bathrooms are super clean with soup and buckets at the disposal ofpatients. Water was always flowing and they always gave us hot water whenever we needed it. They also changed our bedsheets just when they got stained, same with patients outfits. There’s this particular day I saw all the nurses cleaning everywhere, including the walls and windows. Even the mosquito nets that were still clean were removed a washed,” mama Sidonie told this reporter.

The state of hygiene is so thanks to a team that do not only know what to do , but when and how to do it. ““we have a department called the house keeping department. They are the ones keeping the house clean and everything. We try to keep that department in check all the time. Apart from that department, everybody get involved at some point in time. We also have the last Fridays of each month which is general cleanup for everybody, not only for the housekeepers. So be it a nurse or a doctor, you have to clean your surrounding,” Dr. Fritz Kombe, Internist and  Associate Chief Medical Officer for EBHY explained.

The fact that this hospital is able to treat patients at affordable costs is a driving force. “I was quite surprised when i paid just about 150 thousand after being admitted with two kids for five days. It was quite cheap compared to what I pay elsewhere. Besides, the bill is explained in details and you get to know how every franc is used,” mama Sidonie noted.

Mama Sidonie’s observation only comes to reassure the mission of EBHY  as a non profit making institution, that is out to do the will of God. “Our goal is not to make money, but seeing these people are fine and healthy. So we don’t start by putting money first, but there is a deposit for those that are being admitted, but that deposit is very minimal, just something to keep the system going and many people will pay just that fee until they day of their discharge,” Dr. Fritz Kombe noted.

This health  facility started as an Elementary Health Centre following its authorization on March 14, 1986, becoming   the first CBC Health Services facility in French-speaking Cameroon. It was approved as a hospital by the government in 2016.

EBHY has a staff strength of 280 including 2 Obstetric Gynaecologists, 1 Part time Cardiologist, 1 Internist , 1 padiatrician, 2 Dental Surgeons, 8 General Practitioners, 7 Screeners and 3 Nurse Practitioners.

The hospital sees on  average 12.000 patients a month. Patients received here come from the Centre Region and its environs; South and East regions of Cameroon as well as from neighbouring Countries as Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Central African Republic.

The hospital started maternity services on July 16, 2021  and on August 19, 2022, they started the Maternity theatre to help handle obstetric emergencies in a double setting. The maternity has 18 beds, 6 post-surgical beds, 1 private and 1  Semi private bed ward.  There are radiant warmers and baby’s incubator with incorporated phototherapy. The Medical and Pediatric units are functional 24/7 with 10 beds in the Pediatric. There is also a 10 -bed ward for adult females, 11 beds in  men’s ward and 10 in the children.

The hospital as of date can boost of major services, including General consultation, Pharmacy, Laboratory, Treatment room, Infant Welfare Clinic, Dental Services, TB Unit, Physiotherapy, Imaging services, mini and major theater,  eye services, Antenatal clinic, Diabetic clinics, Hypertensive Clinics, Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT), Gynecology services, Permanent, Ophthalmology, Dermatology,  Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeon, Orthopedic Surgeon,       Internist, Cardiologist, just to name these.

The major challenge of this hospital remains that of limited space, which is however being looked into.

Ingrid Kengne