Bamenda: SHUMAS constructs, hands equipped hall to Nkwen Health Centre.

This is thanks to a hall, constructed and handed over to the Nkwen Integrated Health Centre by the Non-Governmental Organisation, NGO, Strategic Humanitarian Services, SHUMAS.

The hall, which acts as the infant welfare clinic and the antenatal clinic, was handed over to the management of the health centre on October 23. 

Present during the official handover ceremony was the Chief of Centre for Nkwen Integrated Health Centre, Fru Asanga Immaculate; Divisional Officer, DO, of Bamenda III, Ayuni Austin; traditional ruler of Nkwen, Fon Azehfor III; the Director of SHUMAS, Ndzerem Stephen, and other personalities and members of the community.

The building consists of a structured hall equipped with a solar refrigerator, tables, benches, chairs and a baby scale.

According to the Chief of Centre, Fru Asanga Immaculate, the facility will help put an end to the issue of pregnant women receiving education through the widow, due to the unavailability of a befitting hall.

"The Health Centre is one of the well-constructed, staffed and equipped health centres in the Bamenda III area, yet lacks a good hall where pregnant women can be educated. The lack of this hall and good lighting system for preservation of vaccines made the effective and efficient education of women and vaccination very difficult," Fru Asanga said.

On his part, the Director of SHUMAS, Ndzerem Stephen, outlined that the organisation did a lot of feasibility studies and discovered that pregnant women were going through a lot during prenatal and antenatal counseling.

"SHUMAS is quite interested in communities that are in need, and those that are able to participate in the project. When we saw what the women were going through, we engaged the project. So SHUMAS thought that it was necessary to help them and today we are happy that today is already the past tense," Ndzerem Stephen said.

Community urged to make use of facility 

During the official handover ceremony, authorities of the community and those of the Subdivision in general urged inhabitants of Nkwen to make good use of the facility and the health centre in general.

While thanking SHUMAS for such wonderful assistance, Fon Azehfor III called on his people to make sure they always visit the health centre for consultation and health education.

On his part, the DO of Bamenda III Subdivision, Ayuni Austin, appealed to community leaders to take the message to the population and make sure they use the health centre. He said he is disappointed that people still buy drugs by the roadside.

Responding to the people's cry for the need of a Medicalised health centre, the District Medical Officer for Bamenda III, Dr. Chris Abongwa, urged the population to use the facility in order for the Minister of Public Health to validate their request.

Dr. Abongwa also enjoined the population to register for the Universal Health Coverage in order to reduce cost during deliveries and also benefit from other services. The event ended with Fon Azehfor III conferring the title of 'Ntumfaw' on the Director of SHUMAS, Ndzerem Stephen.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post issue No:3274 of Tuesday October 29, 2024