Since the 1990s, the Kenya-based Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network (EPN) has collaborated with CBC Health Services to improve the CBC healthcare system including through a scholarship scheme designated for pharmacy technicians within the CBC Health services as well as multiform capacity building for the CBCHS Central Pharmacy.

On June 27, 2025, EPN Program Officer, Dr. Judith Asin and Catherine (Finance Officer) joined the CBCHS leadership to introduce the third phase of the Access Project – a system strengthening project that was started as part of the response to the COVID-19 in 2019. The project aims to enhance healthcare delivery and lessen the impact of emerging and infectious diseases in CBCHS’s distant health facilities. This new phase of the EPN named “Access Project” will span over three years (2025-2028) and also implemented in two other African countries (Chad and Lesotho). The CBCHS was selected based on the excellent performances recorded in the past project phases which have made the CBCHS a poll of excellence to technically support other countries involved in the Access Project especially Chad.

In the presence of the CBCHS Deputy Director for Administration and Finance, the representative from the North West Special Fund for Health Promotion, leaders of the 20 CBCHS beneficiary facilities, the CBCHS Director – Mr. Ngum Samuel, saluted the initiative and by extension appreciated EPN for all their significant technical and financial support given to its members – among which the CBCHS. Among the advantages of the collaboration with EPN, Mr. Ngum mentioned the minilab at the Central Pharmacy in Mutengene and urged hospital administrators to maximize the opportunity offered by EPN to strengthen pandemic preparedness through improved IPC, DTC and AMS practices.

Earlier in his presentation, Mr. Abanda Alphonse, Coordinator of the Access Project, described the goal of the three-year project as follows: to reduce the impact of infectious diseases; to improve national and regional healthcare resilience in the Church health system’s response to infectious diseases; and to train 60 healthcare workers in 20 CBCHS health facilities on pandemic preparedness, IPC, and anti-microbial resistance (AMR) management. He encouraged the administrators to take all necessary measures to enable their facilities make the most benefits from the EPN support.