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The Need
Even though Cameroon’s proportion of doctors (1.9 per 1,000 inhabitants) is twice the minimum recommended by the World Health Organization, the country’s health statistics are paradoxically behind the curve. According to Worldbank, life expectancy for Cameroonians has decreased by about two years since 1990, while it has increased by an average of five years in the rest of sub-Saharan Africa. Cameroon is also among the countries where the mortality rate for children under five years of age (122 deaths per 1,000 live births) has decreased the least.
Healthcare Inequality and Challenges in Cameroon
In Cameroon few of the poor receive professional medical care, while the majority of their richer compatriots do. Whatever their social conditions, Cameroonians pay a high price for care that is often deficient and the country has no risk-sharing mechanisms such as health insurance, a situation that perpetuates the cycle of poverty. The demand for all types of health services and equipment is high and constant. The need for modern equipment is especially urgent, with many clinics using outdated equipment, some of which is imported illegally from Nigeria. There is also a shortage in professional medical staff, partially caused by public service hiring quotas. Therefore the staff that works is badly paid and has too much work to do, which makes it difficult to treat patients adequately. Many doctors and nurses which were trained in Cameroon emigrate to Europe - but also to South Africa and Asia - for that reason.
Funding Challenges and Fee-Based Healthcare
Adequate funding is lacking, with around 6% of government expenditure spent on health. To improve the availability of services and drugs, a fee-based system was introduced. This allows medical facilities to charge fees for services and treatments. Some experts say the charging of fees in Cameroon's hospitals has caused patients to die for lack of medical care when they were unable to pay for treatment.
Breaking the Cycle of Poverty Through Collaboration
Fortunately, there is hope for these poverty stricken people. Government and community agencies are beginning to realize that, working together, we can prevent this devastation. The global community must intensify our efforts until we collectively succeed in breaking Africa’s cycle of famine and disease. By supporting the development of educational opportunities and provision of quality healthcare services, we will ensure the future wellbeing and growth of these individuals, encouraging disease prevention and selfsufficiency
Advancing Health and Empowerment
To improve the overall health and wellness of Cameroonian people, the organization aims to provide men, women, and children with access to the best preventative and rehabilitative treatments possible. This includes providing a fully equipped hospital and clinic at which to offer holistic care to all members of the community. In addition, we will implement a certified nurse’s assistant training program to not only ensure that there are adequate numbers of trained professionals to deliver care, but also to provide ongoing opportunities for meaningful employment.
Genesis A Clinic is in the unique position to begin fund raising for the construction of a hospital/ clinic which will administer services to those who otherwise would not have access to such vital care.
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