History was made on January 17, 2026 at the Health Services Complex Mutengene, Cameroon as the foundation stone was laid for Cameroon’s first-ever state-of-the-art children’s hospital. In a landmark ceremony at the project site, the vision bearer, Dr. Daniel Gwan-Nulla, joined the CBC Executive President and the Secretary General of the South West Governor’s Office to signal the start of a transformative era for pediatric medicine in Cameroon.
The event was highly attended by CBC Directors, Board, and General Council members, the Tiko Council, and traditional chiefs from the South West and North West Regions. They were joined by administrators of CBC hospitals and various project managers, all armed with symbolic shovels and a shared mission to break the ground on this pioneering medical facility.
Turning vision into reality, Dr. Daniel Gwan-Nulla, the founder of the African Children’s Health Care Fund (ACHF), shared the personal journey that fuelled his dream of building a world-class hospital. He emphasized that the project is rooted in a moral and ethical obligation to ensure that no child is left behind, particularly the most vulnerable. He noted that the 2020 pandemic and the ongoing Anglophone crisis which caused severe hardships amongst Cameroon’s most vulnerable – its children – served as powerful motivators for this initiative.
The journey toward this milestone gained significant momentum following a call to Prof. Tih Pius, erstwhile Director of the CBC Health Services. A shared vision was established, and the first meeting in February 2023 set the stage for a hospital designed not only to combat infant mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa but to do so with complete self-sufficiency.
A standout feature of the project is its own hydroelectric plant, which will supply the facility with reliable power 24/7. This focus on sustainability and environmental protection is a core tenet of the ACHF’s philosophy. Dr. Gwan-Nulla emphasized that the campus will be equipped with environmentally efficient medical waste disposal technologies to ensure a clean, healthy environment for the children and their families.
The hospital is designed to bridge critical health gaps by offering treatments that were previously difficult to access locally. With the introduction of a high-tech Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), the facility will be equipped to treat congenital abnormalities, saving families from the immense financial and emotional struggle of traveling to countries like India for specialized care. This ambitious goal requires the support of philanthropists from Cameroon and the world at large, as the mission is to treat every child regardless of their socioeconomic background.
Mr. Ngum Samuel, the Director of CBC Health Services (DHS), further elaborated on the necessity of this specialized facility. He emphasized that the hospital would significantly impact the community by reducing inequality and promoting access to quality care for all children, regardless of their background. Expressing his gratitude for the partnership with the ACHF, Mr. Ngum noted that the project aligns perfectly with Sustainable Development Goal 17, which focuses on building strong partnerships to improve healthcare systems and bridge existing service gaps.
The Co-Founder of the ACHF and wife of the vision bearer, Dr. Meesha Gwan-Nulla, brought a moving mother’s perspective to the ceremony. She shared how she only felt true peace of mind during her husband’s international missions because she knew a children’s hospital was nearby to care for her children if they fell ill. Driven by the desire to bring that same security to all Cameroonian mothers, she encouraged everyone to support the vision by contributing their time, talent, or resources to help build and fully equip this life-saving institution in record time.
Representing the Governor of the South West Region, the Secretary General, Gilbert Acha Nkwenti expressed great delight in presiding over the groundbreaking. He described the project as a transformative regional hub for pediatric medical education, research, and innovation. Reaffirming the full commitment of the South West administration to the project, he noted that the government is blessed to host a facility that will secure a healthier future for millions of children across Africa.
The Governor’s representative’s sentiment was first echoed by the Mayor of the Tiko Council, who welcomed the assembly to his municipality. The Mayor thanked the ACHF and CBC Health Services for including the Tiko Council as a partner, describing the hospital as a moral imperative that will strengthen families across the region.
The event brought together a diverse group of supporters and friends of the vision bearer, including the former German Ambassador to Cameroon and Uganda, Hon. Reinhard Buchholz. Adding a personal testimony to the occasion, Dr. Vince Naman, a plastic surgeon from Georgia, USA, shared how the availability of a local children’s hospital once saved his granddaughter’s life. His story served as a powerful reminder of why such a facility is a necessity rather than a luxury for Cameroon.
The facility is being designed and directed by Build Health International, a firm renowned for constructing cutting-edge medical facilities globally. Represented by their Director of Architecture, Mr. Gerald Georges, the firm expressed its admiration for Dr. Gwan-Nulla’s ambition. Mr. Georges admitted that while the vision seemed daunting at first, the team became deeply motivated by the cause and has dedicated itself to realizing the project in cooperation with the CBC Health Services Technical Department and Kendely Constructions that won the bid to construct the world class children’s hospital.
Following these testimonials, Prof. Tih Pius, Chairman of the Fundraising Committee led the dignitaries to raise funds to support this great initiative. He encouraged the government and traditional leaders to support the initiative through tax exemptions on imported equipment and by facilitating land expansion where necessary.
In an immediate show of solidarity, the South West Chiefs promised to review land needs, while the North West Chiefs pledged hundreds of bags of cement to jumpstart the construction by the Kendely Construction. Together, these stakeholders moved forward with a singular, unified goal: “Let’s make the healthcare of our children our priority”.
The plaque of the Foundation Stone carries the name of the state-of-the-art edifice as “Alexander B. Gwan-Nulla Baptist Children’s Hospital of Cameroon”. This tribute honors the father of Dr. Daniel Gwan-Nulla, himself an accomplished physician, who devoted over 50 years to medical service in Cameroon. His distinguished career included roles as Chief Medical Officer of the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC) and Medical Officer in-Chief for Cameroon’s oil refinery, SONARA. Beyond his professional legacy, he instilled in his son Daniel enduring values of humility, kindness and love for humanity. Rev. Dr. Teke John Ekema, CBC Executive President prayed to dedicate the integrated projects, the Children’s Hospital and Hydroelectric Power Plant.
