CBM Cameroon Office pledges Continuous Funding to SEEPD Program
The Christian Blind Mission (CBM) has over the years maintained its commitment to funding projects on disability issues in the CBC Health Services. To ensure the effective implementation of activities they fund, they have a routine to always visit the program/projects and support the staff in achieving the objectives of the program.
It is in this light that the CBM Country team recently paid two separate visits to the Comprehensive Program for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities and Inclusive Access to Basic Services of Health and Education in the Northwest Region of Cameroon.
The first visit was made up of the CBM Country Finance team, the CBID Coordinator led by the Country Program Manager, Sakwe Iteo Mbone. The one-week visit had as objective to evaluate the partnership obligations between CBC Health Services and CBM and also to conduct a monitoring visit on the current phase of the project which is in its last year of implementation.
In a meeting with the Director of Projects of the CBC Health Services, Prof. Tih Pius Muffih applauded CBM for being committed partners for many years. He testified that through projects funded by CBM in the CBC Health Services, the lives of many people with disabilities have been improved. The CBM team led a working session with the program team to review compliance recommendations made in previous visits.
On the heels of the visit was a visit of the CBM Country Director, Fon Juluis to the Program. The one-day visit had as main objective to officially discuss funding scenarios with the CBC Health Services for free-funded projects until 2027. Mr. Fon explained that his visit was also focused on explaining to the CBC Health Services the CBM strategy 2030 orientation which is based on three pillars; building on legacy, continuing with ongoing investments, and expanding the scope. “It was necessary to prepare the program team on how CBM is approaching the strategy 2030 and aligning the funding sourcing towards working with more institutional donors,” Mr. Fon reiterated
After listening to the progress recorded on activities, the CBM Country Director added his voice to that of the CBM Country Program Manager to applaud the SEEPD Program team for hard work and commitment in implementing activities in good quality. Mr. Fon noted that with the implementation of the current phase of the projects, there are many needs that require funding. According to him, a situational analysis of areas of need will be done in the future. He announced that CBM has allocated three years of funding for the Clubfoot Care project beginning January 2024 with some funded projects still in the pipeline.
The CBM Country Director ended his work session with a visit to the Nkwen District Hospital which is one of the health facilities that CBM is supporting through the project to promote inclusive health care.
At the hospital, Mr. Fon and some of the project team met with the Director of the hospital, Dr. Jeol Ngum who appreciated CBM for supporting the hospital with capacity building, some hospital consumables and equipment as well as technical support in ensuring that persons with disabilities access and benefit from health services. Dr. Ngum said with the access ramps to different delivery points and the 50% waiver for persons with disabilities, the number of persons with disabilities accessing health care in the hospital has increased.
The hospital Disability focal person, Mr. Ngum Christopher took the team for a walking visit in the hospital to better appraise the strides recorded. Mr. Fon applauded the hospital for setting a good practice, which he hopes other health facilities will follow suit.
