Bamenda Regional Hospital Unpaid bills, ghost staff plague the structure

The Bamenda Regional Hospital is facing an increasing accumulation of unpaid bills, reaching 46 million in 2023 and 12 million in the first quarter of 2024. This situation, aggravated by the absenteeism of seconded staff and the refusal totake night shifts, is seriously hampering the provision of healthcare.

These are the words of the hospital’s Director, Dr Denis Nsame Nforniwe, in an interview with Health News, in which he makes a plea to the authorities.

The anglophone crisis that has been rocking the North West and South West regions of Cameroon for close to 8 years now has resulted to numerous changes , including the loss of human life, infrastructures, education, the economy, the health system among others. Reports have revealed that several hospitals have either been destroyed or locked down while healthcare providers have been killed, displaced, harassed or threatened. One of such hospitals is the Bamenda regional hospital. Due to the displacement of the population and health workers, the hospital now as a debt of 12 million FCFA to settle, just for the first quarter of 2024. It comes to add to that of 2023, summed up at 46 million FCFA.

Talking in an exclusive interview with Health News on July 9, the Director General of this hospital indicated that

the hospital is facing serious crisis with the shortage of healthcare workers, both in quantity and quantity. They need some additional 120 personnel, varying from specialists, general practitioners, nurses and laboratory technicians. The anglophone crisis has caused many personnel to flee the region, while those present are obliged to work under precarious conditions. Theyconstantly face challenges like abduction, harassment, threatening messages, working in the presence of armed men, effects of Ghost towns like spending longer days and nights at the hospital  and covering long distances to work. This has greatlyhampered healthcare delivery in this hospital, while patients now shy away from hospitals and fail to respect rendezvous because of fear, Ghost Towns and road blockages.

Despite these challenges, the hospital has ensured its smooth running and the maintenance of its tittle as one of the best hospitals in the region. This is done through the encouragement of  staff and the respect humanitarian principle.

Created in 1956, the hospital boasts of a capacity of 400 beds and a staff strength of 565. It registers on an average  5000 new consultations per month. Regarding its departments and services, this hospital currently runs a department  of ups and guides where they have 3  gynecologists with close to 250 to 300 deliveries every month. There is a surgical department with 4 main operating theaters and 12 surgeons. The hospital registers 150 to 200 major surgeries  and 400 to 500 minor surgeries every month. The department of internal medicine has two cardiologists, 1 nephrologist 1 neurologist, 1  gastroenterologist and 1 visiting dermatologist. It admits on an average 1400 patients per month. It has 2 pediatricians and over 20,000  doses of vaccines for infant welfare. It is also building a modern emergency Centre, a project sponsored by the Northwest Regional Assembly.

Dr. Dennis Nsame, who has been at the helm of this hospital since 2019 appreciates his staff’s and hierarchy’s efforts towards the sustainability of the hospital, despite challenges. Above all, he is pleading for help, in order to sustain the functioning of the hospital.

Ingrid Kengne