Walter Wilson Nana
Buea, Cameroon
Cameroonian medical doctors trained and practicing in Germany are interested to share their knowledge and new trends in the medical field with their colleagues and other medical officials in the chain across Cameroon. Under the banner of the Association of Cameroonian Medical Doctors in Germany, christened CAMFOMEDICS, three Cameroonian medical doctors from Germany, joined by some colleagues resident and practicing in Cameroon carried out a weeklong Clinical Skills Training Workshop at the Cameroon Baptist Health Services, CBC, Complex in Mutengene.
Dr. Susan Engema(1st from left) in handshake & handing gift to Dr Victor Mbome Njie, Southwest Delegate of Health
Dr. Ivo Azeh, President of CAMFOMEDICS and specialist in Hämatology and Oncology said they want to bring the digital and mobile technology of medicine into Cameroon. “This is technology for health,” Azeh noted.
Azeh and colleagues trained their Cameroonian counterparts and some students of the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, UB on how to use and interpret the Electrocardiogram, ECG, which they left behind for one of the medical institutions. “It will enable their
Officials of CAMFOMEDICS and their Cameroonian counterparts in a family pic after weeklong training workshop
technicians on the ground do the recordings and the subsequent interpretation. We also discussed new trends in Ultra Sound, which is the easiest and one of the most available non-invasive medical examinations around. With medical ultra sound, we will have a lot of improvements and medical treatment will be achieved,” he explained.
According to Azeh, CAMFOMEDICS is partnering with medical institutions in Cameroon and in Germany on how to impact the Cameroonian society, transfer
Dr. Ivo Azeh in one of the training workshops
some of the technology they work with in Europe and improve the quality of health delivery in Cameroon. “We have been doing this for ten years and what is new is the formation of an academy – International Medical Academy; I.MED, which is a network of specialists in medicine and medical education. We do not have all the available specialties in Cameroon to impact on education, so, we wish to bring along easy to use technology,” he added.
Dr. Susan Engema Aweh from Essen, Germany and specialist in Internal Medicine and Cardiology said today’s digital advancement has made tele-medicine available and applicable for all. She indicated that medics have to be informed and apply it to their practice. “Health care must reach everybody no matter where they are or remote in Cameroon. There is also the need for inter-disciplinary conferences and consultations. Let different specialists share views on patients for the betterment of the patients. It is not a matter of a particular doctor confiscating a patient,” she advised.
The Cardiologist said CAMFOMEDICS has planted a seed in UB and the CBC Health Services, which must be nurtured and closely looked after for a non-stop capacity building drive.
These views were corroborated by Ngum Kika, a medical student of UB, who expressed glee with the newfound knowledge acquired. “I have learnt how to perform and interpret an ECG as a Physician and not as a Cardiologist. I now know how to perform an ECG on a patient when the need arises. I can go ahead on how to interpret the ECG. This is important in my training as a medical student. We need to know some basic information on how to save the life of your patient before it gets to the Cardiologist,” she mentioned.
Clackson Giyoh, Ultra Sound technician from the Baptist Hospital, Mutengene said he has acquired new skills in Ultra Sonology, Anatomy and Sonography Patologies. “I have been equipped to be helpful to other people and my patients. This is very important. I have to do more work and be perfect. My work will enable the Doctor better manage and care for our patients.”
Earlier, Southwest Regional Delegate of Public Health, Dr. Victor Mbome Njie saw in CAMFOMEDICS an association that has come to lay a foundation to develop the health facilities of Cameroon, following the shortcomings recorded in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs.
He said partnerships with CAMFOMEDICS must be encouraged and sustained, especially for the medical students in UB and other health institutions across the country.
Dr. Gerald Frunjang, the General Manager of the CBC Central Pharmacy entreated his colleagues and medical students in Cameroon to keep abreast with changing trends, saying it will be dangerous to be left out.
CAMFOMEDICS has been existing for over twenty years in Germany and has a membership of more than 400 Cameroonian medical doctors resident and practicing in Germany.
