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Kumba Baptist Health Centre is the main Baptist health institution in the Meme Division of the South West Region. It is located in the same compound with the Kumba Baptist Seminary in the Pulletin Neighbourhood of the town. Kumba Baptist Health Centre went operational on November 01, 1989. Today, it sees an average of 2,600 clients a month (excluding HIV & AIDS related clients) up from 260 at creation. Clients who get treated at the health centre have been known to spread information about the quality of care they receive, thus pushing others to seek this same experience.
Working Hours
- Monday to Friday: 07h00 to 16h30 (Cameroon time).
- Saturday: 07h00 to 14h00.
- Devotion and Health Education to clients: 09:00 a.m. daily.
- 3rd Wednesday of the month: Doctors’ support visit from Baptist Hospital Mutengene.
However, the Chief of Centre stays on up to 18h00 when there is a patient under observation.
Staffing
The staff strength of Kumba Baptist Health Centre today stands at 38 up from 9 at creation in 1989. There are 4 permanent screeners at the centre supported by regular monthly doctors’ support visits from Baptist Hospital Mutengene.
The following healthcare services are available to the population of Kumba and its environs:
- Dental Services
- Laboratory
- Injection and Dressing
- Observation
- Eye care
- General Consultation (and referrals)
- Antenatal (ANC) Services
- HIV & AIDS Care
- Pharmacy
- Drugstore
- Chaplaincy
- Tuberculosis
- Other support services
- Projects
- Contact us
For now, Kumba Baptist Health Centre dental unit has one permanent staff (a Dental Aide), who sees an average of 65 cases per month and refers complicated ones to Baptist Hospital Mutengene. The unit went operational in August 1997. It has modern dental equipment which enable it to carry out the following activities:
- Fillings
- Treatment of all types of oral infections
- Root canal therapy (RCT)
- Extractions
- Minor oral surgery
- Dentures
- Close reduction of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disposition
- General cleanings (prophylaxis),
- Wiring of minor fractures
- Oral Health Education on preventive dentistry
- Dental X-ray service, etc. Back to top^
Kumba Baptist Health Centre Laboratory has 4 qualified staff to meet the needs of the population. They carry out the following tests:
- HIV Screening, Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA)
- Vaginal/Cervical/Urethral Smear
- Complete Urine Analysis
- Stool Analysis
- Sputum Analysis
- Filarial Test
- Malarial Test
- Sickling Test
- Blood Grouping
- Occult Blood
- Sperm Analysis
- Pregnancy Test
- Hepatitis B
- Serological test for Syphilis
- Etc. etc. Back to top^
The injection and dressing department of Kumba Baptist Health Centre offers diverse services to the population of Kumba and other surrounding areas as follows:
- Administration of all types of injections to patients as prescribed by the screeners or doctor.
- Dressing of all types of wounds on patients. But wounds not responding to treatment are referred to hospitals for specialist attention.
- Debridment
- Male Circumcision
- Minor surgeries
- Infection control, etc. Back to top^
The structure of the health centre is still under construction. Thus, in-patient services will only begin when the necessary space is available. However, patients on drips whose conditions are not very critical are put under observation for a maximum of six hours after which they are discharged to return home and continue with the drugs they have been prescribed or referred to medical facilities with in-patient services for more care. Back to top^
Kumba Baptist Health Centre Eye Department has 2 permanent eye nurses whose services are reinforced by monthly support visits from eye specialists in Baptist Hospital Mutengene. The eye nurses do regular eye consultations and refer difficult cases to the Kumba District Hospital, which is the nearest available eye care unit with an Ophthalmologist, or BHM where the patient can receive specialist attention. The average number of patients the department sees per month has sharply risen from 60 at creation in April 2000 to 140 in April 2009.
Kumba Baptist Health Centre provides its clients with the following eye care services:
- Daily eye consultations (examinations)
- Edging/Fitting/Dispensing of glasses
- Community outreach services
- Referral of complicated cases to specialists at Kumba District Hospital, Baptist Hospital Mutengene and Mbingo Baptist Hospital. Back to top^
General Consultation (and referrals)
Still because the structure to house other services is still to be completed, Kumba Baptist Health Centre still operates only on an outpatient basis. Screeners receive and examine patients, prescribe them drugs and they return home. However, cases evaluated as requiring longer and/or more specialist attention, are referred to other health facilities with such services, especially the Kumba District Hospital or Baptist Hospital Mutengene. Back to top^
The Health Centre does not offer maternity services for now. However, it provides expectant and would-be mothers adequate antenatal care that prepares them for safe delivery in any hospital of their choice.
Services in this department are scheduled as follows:
- Antenatal Clinic (ANC): Tuesdays and Thursdays.
- Tuesdays: First visit (for booking)
- Thursdays: Revisits (for follow-up)
- Infant Welfare Clinics: Fridays:
- Weighing of infants
- Child Vaccinations (daily)
- Family Planning Services
Family planning services are available in the Health Centre on daily basis. Almost all methods are offered. Back to top^
Formerly operating as a site under the BHM coordination area, Kumba Baptist Health Centre became a PMTCT Coordination Office for activities in Meme, Manyu and Kupe-Muanenguba Divisions of the SW Region on August 18, 2008. The 22 CBCHB supported PMTCT sites handed to the health centre for control at creation have grown to 32 in 9 different health districts spread across these three divisions. Since creation, some 5,500 women have been seen and tested for HIV. Of these, 495 have been tested positive, giving a 9% rate of HIV positive cases. Some 360 positive women have received at least a Nevirapine (NVP) tablet for prophylaxis while about 300 babies born to HIV positive mothers have also received the NVP Syrup. HIV & AIDS related activities in Kumba Baptist Health Centre include the following:
- Quarterly supervision visits to its PMTCT sites to ensure effective and quality services to clients.
- General supply of drugs and reagents to trained service providers to ensure the effective implementation of PMTCT services in their various sites.
- Collection of statistics and data on PMTCT activities for analysis and reporting.
- Follow-up of, and care for HIV positive mothers and their babies.
- Collaboration with the BHM HIV Treatment centre to provide people living with HIV & AIDS (PLWHA) with the opportunity to do CD4 test, and receive treatment and supportive care.
- Coordination of two monthly meetings of PLWHA members in Kumba and Tombel.
- General HIV Counselling and other psychosocial services
- Voluntary counselling and testing for HIV
- Premarital counselling Back to top^
The services of the Pharmacy Department include:
- Drug compounding
- Drug dispensing
- Counselling and education of clients on drug usage, storage, their right sources and side effects on patients. Back to top^
The health centre has a well stocked drugstore equipped with an air conditioner to ensure that drugs and other medical supplies are preserved in the right conditions. It supplies drugs to the pharmacy which in turn dispenses them to clients, and medical supplies to various departments for use on clients. Back to top^
The Chaplaincy department of Kumba Baptist Health Centre became fully operational in February 2002. Before then, psychosocial and spiritual cases were handled by a visiting Pastor who came on a monthly basis. The lone Chaplain in the health centre provides the following services to clients:
- Counselling on HIV & AIDS related issues
- Counselling on marital and other psychosocial issues
- Pro-life counselling to clients requesting abortion
- Daily devotions for patients
- Spiritual and moral up-building of staff
- Provision of pastoral care to patients on drips and observation
- Etc., etc. Back to top^
Clients are counselled and tested for TB and referred to the Kumba District Treatment Centre for cure if found positive. Back to top^
Kumba Baptist Health Centre has 7 dynamic security guards who at all time are responsible for the reception of clients and ensuring their security and that of their belongings while they are within the premises of the health centre. They equally ensure the security of the health centre property at all times and the staff within the health centre premises and their property during working hours. The security guards equally run errands for the health centre.
Other functions at the health centre meant to complement those aimed at ensuring proper care of clients include the services of cleaners (housekeepers), drivers and registration (finance) clerks. Back to top^
- Kumba Baptist Health Centre is seriously trusting God to be able to complete the construction of its structure to house all other services by 2015 if funds are available.
- It also hopes to secure its premises by constructing a permanent fence that will stop stray animals and intruders from penetrating the compound and causing any disorder. Back to top^
Kumba Baptist Health Centre
PO Box 04, Kumba
Meme Division
South West Region
Tel: +237 3335 4153
Chief of Centre: +237 7500 9231
Email: kumbahc@cbchealthservices.org
