“God's blessing to the people”: Catholic Archbishop in Cameroon Says New Hospital will Reduce Suffering

According to Archbishop Nkea, the new hospital is to help the local population curb transportation expenses the people incur while moving out of the region in search of medication.

“We have tried our best as the Catholic Church to ensure that the health services come to the doorsteps of our people. We have gone through a lot in this region,” the Local Ordinary of Bamenda, who also serves as the President of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon (NECC) said. 

Credit: Archdiocese of Bamenda

He added, “Bringing this kind of facility will help our people come very, very close to the health services that they so much desire and they so much need.”

“We have tried to put this hospital here to make our people not be running from here to other regions of this country, not be running to India every time, but to bring our India here, bring our own America here,” Archbishop Nkea said.

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He said that with St. Blaise hospital, the Catholic Archdiocese of Bamenda continues “the healing ministry of Jesus Christ who he said opened the eyes of the blind, made the lame to walk, and “took the hand of Peter's mother-in-law and she was cured of her fever.”

Credit: Archdiocese of Bamenda

The NECC President further said, “Here, we don't just heal ailments. We also touch the spirit of the people. We also touch the souls of the people and ensure that body, soul, and spirit, they are healthy and this is what makes St. Blaise different from other hospitals.” 

The new hospital building consists of six floors, with the ground floor dedicated to the outpatient department and a nephrology unit for dialysis. The first floor contains a diagnostic unit with various laboratories capable of handling a wide range of medical diagnoses, along with an imaging department equipped for X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs. 

Also speaking to journalists during the September 18 event, the Northwest Regional Delegate for Public Health, Dr. Kingsley Che Soh said the hospital is to help in health provision within Cameroon’s Northwest region and beyond.

Dr. Soh said the expansive hospital with its 120-bed capacity was going to help patients “so that they don't begin to move to other regions and even out of the country to seek health care.”

On her part, the Matron of the Hospital, Sr. Lukong Felicitas said the Archdiocese of Bamenda wants to offer quality healthcare to the population.

“One thing that we want to improve on is our care for the patients. It's not about equipment. It's not about the medication. Our care for the patient, making sure that they don't stay here long. They are comfortable when they are here and that they get what they want,” Sr. Lukong said.

Credit: Archdiocese of Bamenda

She said, “We don't want to leave anybody frustrated or missing in our mansion. We want to be there at any moment, taking them wherever they want to be and serving them as due.”

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Noting that the contribution for the construction of the hospital had come from the public, Archbishop Nkea announced that consultations would be offered free of charge for the first six months. 

Additionally, a 20 percent discount on bed fees for those who would be admitted at the St. Blaise Hospital, the Cameroonian Archbishop said.

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.