Bangem District Hospital Renovation 2020 Project
Worsened by the Anglophone crisis that started in 2016, the Bangem district hospital, which is like a reference hospital at the level of the sub-division was fast deteriorating. The infrastructure had highly depreciated, with basic medical equipment and administrative material as well as staff absent. This caused members of the community who could afford to only seek medical assistance from distant towns such as Melong, Nkongsamba, Limbe, Buea among others, while the poor were left to their fate. This highly compromised the state of health in the community, especially issues of sexual and reproductive health, resulting in deaths in some cases.
In response to this acute community problem, Brothers’ Keepers carried out a renovation project of the entire District Hospital in between October and November 2020, following members donations and appeals to some of its internal and external benefactors.
The activities that characterized this project include repairs and repainting of key blocks inpatient, maternity, toilets; general hygiene and sanitation campaign; and the donation of hospital materials. This project that costed the group worth four million FCFA (4,000,000FCFA) approximately 6500USD, also saw the donation of materials such as a printer, wheelchair, crutches, many bedspreads and blinds, hygiene and sanitation materials including detergents, etc.
The group also lobbied for the transfer of medical personal to the District Hospital. All these markedly improved the state of the hospital and general health outcomes, as testified by some community members who say they feel more comfortable to be admitted in the hospital now; the cost of health has now reduced especially as they don’t need to travel far to get medical assistance, etc.
