Leaders and Chiefs of Centre of the CBCHS Chart a way forward in Service Delivery
Chiefs of Centre and Leaders of the CBC Health Services (CBCHS) have examined and devised ways of overcoming the challenges faced in service delivery, especially during difficult moments such as the socio-political crisis hitting the Northwest and Southwest regions of the country. The forum, which is convened annually and regroups all the leaders of the institution, took place this time at Mboppi Baptist Hospital Douala from September 19-21, 2019. The conclave also evaluated the activities in all the facilities including achievements and difficulties.
In his address, the Director of CBCHS, Prof. Tih Pius Muffih acknowledged that the crisis in the two English speaking regions has affected all the other facilities in other regions across the country. In line with the measures in place to enable the institution sail through this difficult moment, the Director expressed in confidence that “The institution will strive to cope and continue to provide quality care amidst all odds. Consequently, there are expectations for all the leaders of the institution to be resilient, focused, dedicated, prayerful, fearless, and also to adopt stringent ways of managing the limited resources available at the moment to serve the population that is dependent on the institution for their healthcare”.
Prof. Tih reported that the bulk of the decisions made in the last meeting that held in 2016 have been implemented. He announced plans of developing more coping strategies during this time of the crisis.
The DHS, however, noted that plans to improve on the infrastructure were hindered by limited finances, compelling staff to work in tight structures especially in the urban areas where client attendance is relatively good. In the rural areas of the two crisis-stricken regions of the NW and SW where attendance has recorded a significant drop, the DHS called on the institution heads to adopt cost-saving measures to stay afloat. He encouraged hard work and commitment, as it is only through this that recognition comes, be it Divine recognition or human appreciation.
During this meeting, some two deserving staff members of the CBC Health Services received meritorious awards for their services. The awards were received on September 19, 2019, by Mr. Nkwan Jacob Gobte, Infection Prevention and Control/Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (IPC/WASH) nurse; and Mr. Yungseh Peter Nshiom, Supervisor of Nursing Services (SNS) of the Kumba Baptist Health Centre. The Association of Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) in Philadelphia USA recognized and awarded Mr. Nkwan for his advocacy and influence in Infection Prevention and Control. This award was granted during the Annual Scientific Conference in Philadelphia that ran from May 12-14, 2019.
Presenting the award to Mr. Nkwan Jacob, the Director of CBC Health Services, Prof. Tih Pius Muffih congratulated him and ordered for a standing ovation for his hard work that earned his facility the first position in an Infection Control and Prevention audit that was conducted in all the Health Facilities of the CBC Health Services in 2019.
Mr. Nkwan, who is a multi-award winner in the same domain, was given the privilege to hand over a similar award from Infection Control African Network (ICAN) to the SNS of Kumba Baptist Health Centre, Mr. Yungseh. He (Mr. Nkwan) congratulated Kumba Baptist Health Center for their work in Infection Control and Prevention, which earned them the appellation of “IPC/WASH Centre of Excellence” in Infection Control. He also called on the other leaders to step up their efforts in order to improve infection Prevention in their respective facilities.
Adding his voice to the same appeal, Prof Tih challenged all to leave worth-emulating legacies in their respective positions as leaders within the institution.
The 3-day meeting brought together Technical Advisers, Administrators, Chief Medical Officers, Supervisors of Nursing Services, Chiefs of Centre and other Department heads.
As host, the Senior Administrator of the Mboppi Baptist Hospital Douala, Mr. Nfor Daouda rejoiced that it was a successful meeting with impactful interactions, review of activities, goals and sharing of information about the healthcare delivery system.
As take home, the CBC Health Services Communication Unit gathered the following appraisals from participants:
“This is my first time to attend the CoC’s meeting and it has been a living experience for me given the presentations, the devotions that centered on leadership, the role of the leader and different characteristics that would make a leader successful. I also had the opportunity to present the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Prevention and Control Program at the meeting. The other presentations were also very comprehensive and concise and I got a lot of information from them”. Dr. Epie Njume, General Physician and General Supervisor of the NCD Program at the Nkwen Baptist Health Center
“It was a great experience for me because I had the chance to meet the other leaders and I learned a lot. I have learned that the leader’s vision is usually different from that of the followers and while the followers turn to look back and complain, the leader should have more faith and look forward just as Moses did with the Israelites in the desert,” Dr. Kinne Mane Virginie, Internist and CMO of Ekounou Baptist Health Center.
“It was a great success for the three days we have been here in Douala. It has been a blessing coming together as leaders and to be challenged that as leaders, we are there to influence our followers and to carry on the vision of the CBC Health Services and to cause our followers to join hands together with us to make the services sustainable in a crisis moment like this. So I am going home trusting God to help me to fear not and to be a leader that others can look up to,” Nkeh Jenny Tawah Ajimsimbom, Supervisor of Nursing Services of Ekounou Baptist Health Centre, Yaounde