At least 42.1% of primary healthcare centres in Cameroon lack access to drinking water, and 31.57% operate without an alternative source of electricity, leaving patients at the mercy of epileptic power supply most parts of the country face
These figures are some of the grim realities and challenges faced by primary healthcare centres in the country, as chronicled by Action for Development and Empowerment (ADE) in its latest heath sector accountability report, made public, January 25, 2023.
The study covered five of Cameroon’s ten regions, as a portion of the COVID-19 Transparency and Accountability Project, CTAP. In the five regions, 19 different primary healthcare centres were evaluated.
Among others, the study, according to The Guardian Post, revealed that 21% operate without access to water and use rainwater or water from nearby wells, while 15.18% of the primary healthcare services operate with single toilets for men and women. 42.1% of the centres, it went on, are without pharmaceutical fridge and up to 21% are without medical doctors.
“We noticed that some regions have similar difficulties while some have peculiar challenges. Some of the primary healthcare services don’t have light or refrigerators to store vaccines,” explained Ndi Nancy Saiboh, who is ADE Executive Director and CTAP Cameroon Lead.
The study, she added, also unveiled the fact that “… most citizens prefer street drugs than getting them at the pharmacies because of the prices”.
The solution, Ndi Saiboh noted, lies in taking preemptive action, to avert another health crisis like Covid-19, or manage one, in case it happens: “We have to start preparing them in case of future pandemic. Primary services should be able to have all they need to function as primary healthcare services.”
Doubling down on the same perspective, CTAP Cameroon Project Manager, Lionel Mboussi, said citizen participation too, is of utmost importance, given that it is for them that public policies are generated and implemented.
The scathing report comes at a time government is heralding its Universal Health project. The initiative which has been in the works over the years, the Minister of Public Health told parliament in November 2022, will soon get underway. Among others, it is expected to provide accessible and adequate health care for as many Cameroonians as possible.
Poise News Desk𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐑𝐄𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓 𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐒 𝐆𝐑𝐈𝐌 𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐇𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐍
At least 42.1% of primary healthcare centers in Cameroon lack access to drinking water, and 31.57% operate without an alternative source of electricity, leaving patients at the mercy of epileptic power supply most parts of the country face
These figures are some of the grim realities and challenges faced by primary healthcare centres in the country, as chronicled by Action for Development and Empowerment (ADE) in its latest heath sector accountability report, made public, January 25, 2023.
The study covered five of Cameroon’s ten regions, as a portion of the COVID-19 Transparency and Accountability Project, CTAP. In the five regions, 19 different primary healthcare centres were evaluated.
Among others, the study, according to The Guardian Post, revealed that 21% operate without access to water and use rainwater or water from nearby wells, while 15.18% of the primary healthcare services operate with single toilets for men and women. 42.1% of the centres, it went on, are without pharmaceutical fridge and up to 21% are without medical doctors.
“We noticed that some regions have similar difficulties while some have peculiar challenges. Some of the primary healthcare services don’t have light or refrigerators to store vaccines,” explained Ndi Nancy Saiboh, who is ADE Executive Director and CTAP Cameroon Lead.
The study, she added, also unveiled the fact that “… most citizens prefer street drugs than getting them at the pharmacies because of the prices”.
The solution, Ndi Saiboh noted, lies in taking preemptive action, to avert another health crisis like Covid-19, or manage one, in case it happens: “We have to start preparing them in case of future pandemic. Primary services should be able to have all they need to function as primary healthcare services.”
Doubling down on the same perspective, CTAP Cameroon Project Manager, Lionel Mboussi, said citizen participation too, is of utmost importance, given that it is for them that public policies are generated and implemented.
The scathing report comes at a time government is heralding its Universal Health project. The initiative which has been in the works over the years, the Minister of Public Health told parliament in November 2022, will soon get underway. Among others, it is expected to provide accessible and adequate health care for as many Cameroonians as possible.
Poise News Desk
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