A Mission statement defines the primary objective of an organization; the business, products or services, and customers. It provides detailed information about what the organization does, how it does, and who it does it for. So indeed, it helps focus the Organization on what really matters - to itself as well as to its stakeholders. Whereas, the Vision statement focuses on its goals and aspirations, which describes how the future will look if the organization achieves its mission. The mission and vision of any veritable organization should be timeless.

The vision and mission statements provide a focal point that helps to align everyone with the organization, thus ensuring that everyone is working towards a single purpose. This helps to increase efficiency and productivity in the organization. (From Blog Article by Colour Infusion, Cochrane AB - https://colourinfusion.ca)

Not having clear mission and vision statements would be like going on a journey without knowing the direction you are to follow or the destination.

The CBC Health Services is a Nonprofit, Faith-based, Humanitarian and Inclusive healthcare Organization that addresses both clinical, social, and public health problems affecting individuals and communities in Cameroon in particular and Africa at large. It is one of the departments of the Cameroon Baptist Convention (CBC). CBC founded in 1954 is a living fellowship of churches growing in grace, strengthening one another in faith and working together in obedience to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission of Jesus Christ through worship, preaching, teaching, healing and social ministries. (www.cbc-cm.org).

The Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Service (CBCHS) has as mission to provide care to all who need it as an expression of Christian love and as a means of witness in order that, they might be brought to God through Jesus Christ. Thus, the CBCHB shall provide exemplary Health care with genuine compassion and with overriding purpose of evangelical witness.  This is drawn from Matthew 9:35-36. Her vision is, “Quality care to all”.

The CBCHS since its establishment has been operating in Cameroon striving to further her mission and by no means deviating from it. They strive to PROVIDE CARE TO ALL WHO NEED IT AS AN EXPRESSION OF CHRISTIAN LOVE AND AS A MEANS OF WITNESS. If you go through the Scripture, Jesus ministered to all – those with leprosy, the prostitutes - I mean all who were rejected in the society; even those who hated Him. He had a goal in mind, His goal was the salvation of mankind. As the arm of the church, the CBC Health Services seeks to provide Care to all who need it as an expression of this Christian love and equally as a means of evangelical witness. Jesus fully aware that Judas Iscariot would later betray Him did not disown him but ministered to him as well.

The CBCHS has stood the test of time even in the current crisis situation; She has never deviated from providing care to all who need it. She has been seen in hard-to-reach areas. This is because, she developed a clear sense of her values even before the crisis. CBC Health Services' mission statement indicates a clear concern regarding a commitment to "quality and maintaining the highest standards of honesty and integrity in its dealings with all stakeholders”.

We equally praise God for the transformational leaders in the CBC Health Services who inspire, energize, and intellectually stimulate and stir employees to look beyond their own self-interest for the benefit of individual work groups and the organization as a whole.

The CBC Health Services has used her mission statement as a constant guide for her actions.  She is out to satisfy customers’ needs. The mission of the CBCHS is clear: equality ("the proposition that all men are created equal and in the image of God")

Persevering through tragedy is not easy. The CBCHS has not let her shortcomings to keep her from her work. Staying true to her mission and vision has kept her in focus to learn from any challenges and sailing through when and where many are failing!!!

support the CBC Health Services’ long-standing efforts and commitment to persons with disabilities.

The International Programs Manager of Hope and Healing International Canada, Nicholas Biswas set the records straight during his working visit to CBC Health Services (Cameroon) from March 14-24, 2023.

“Henceforth, our focus is on childhood care, no more adults,” the Hope and Healing International senior official made it clear to the Director of Health Services in conclave as well to the CBC Health Services project team in plenary. Hope and Healing International Canada believes that many organizations around the world support adults with disabilities but very few pay attention to children with disabilities. On this premise, he was keen on getting clarifications on how child protection and gender issues are being handled in the CBC Health Services. He supported the child protection protocol in place signed by every staff to take commitment to safeguard children, especially those with disabilities.

Nicholas Biswas announced renewed funding to Hope and Healing International running projects in the CBC Health Services for the 2024 Financial year except for the Socio-Economic Empowerment of Females with Fistula (SEEFF) project, which activities should end in December 2023.

The partnership between Hope and Healing International Canada and the CBC Health Services began timidly in 2018 when Hope and Healing International was parting ways with CBM International. In 2019, the partnership gained grounds with the initiation of the Non-Cash Resource project in which Hope and Healing International sources and provides the CBC Health Services with hospital and office equipment and assistive devices to persons with disabilities via the CBC Central Pharmacy in Mutengene.

The partnership moved to another level in 2021 when Hope and Healing International in addition to non-cash resource, provided cash to CBCHS’ Socio-Economic Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SEEPD) program to  run six sub projects namely: Healinghugs resource gathering, River blindness, Socio-Economic Empowerment of Females with Fistula, Musculoskeletal deformities, construction of the Trauma Center in Baptist Hospital Mutengene and the training of an ophthalmologist in Tanzania in pediatric eye care under the Human Resource component.

The Hope and Healing International Programs Manager said he was open to receive all the requests from the CBC Health Services but encouraged ‘us’ to document and share ‘our’ experiences such that his organization can be convinced to align the requests in future budgets. “I am there to work for you but you need to be patient and balance non-cash and cash,” Nicholas Biswas opined.

Speaking earlier, Prof. Tih Pius Muffih, Director of Health Services (DHS) situated his guest on the road covered by the CBC Health Services in the domain of services to persons with disabilities. According to him, it all began in 1952 with the creation of Mbingo Baptist Hospital as a leprosy center. “Today, we operate in 9 out of the 10 regions in Cameroon, thanks to support from partners like Hope and Healing International. Thus, each time any of you come to visit, we feel relieved,” Prof. Tih said.

The DHS saluted the partnership and wished to see the partnership extend to support our services in the Far North region, pediatric eye care and construction of a childhood center in Bamenda.

In the company of Mr. Awa Jacques Chirac, SEEPD Program Manager, the Hope and Healing International Programs Manager, Nicholas Biswas felt motivated and satisfied during his 10-day hectic sojourn in Cameroon. They also visited the Central Pharmacy in Mutengene, the Trauma Center in BHM, the Regional Delegation of Health in Bafoussam, Foumban, Ngounso Baptist Health Center, Bafoussam Baptist Hospital and some beneficiaries in the communities.

by Bambo Denis, the Coordinator of CHAC was meant to have a gentleman's discussion with the Synod and to enable them to understand CHAC's vision and explore ways for future collaborations. This first official visit took place on February 9, 2023 at the SYNOD office in Buea, Southwest – Cameroon

During this meeting, the team visited the Community Empowerment Development and Rehabilitation Commission Office (CEDAR) to understand their operational systems, what they do, and their areas of intervention and monitoring systems. Bambo Denis used the opportunity to talk about the creation of CHAC, which is aimed at bringing all Christian health associations in Cameroon on one platform to leverage each other's expertise for better outcomes.

The team proceeded to the SYNOD office. They talked with the Secretary of the Health Service – Nyah Fidelis, who received the team warmly, expressed his enthusiasm and willingness to sell the vision to the Presbyterian SYNOD.

The team left with the recommendation to meet with other Christian associations offering health care in Cameroon to increase the strength of the synergy. It is worth noting that CHAC was created in 2019 to promote health care in Cameroon and facilitate joint advocacy for the Christian Health Associations and services in Cameroon on matters of health, amongst other related activities.

RAISE 4 ZDC Project has trained 25 delegates from its implementing regions and the national Expanded Program for Immunization (EPI) of Cameroon as trainers of Care Groups.

The 5-day training, which started on February 21, took place at the CBC Health Services Resource Center in Mvan-Yaounde. The Training of Trainers (ToT) aimed at understanding the Care Groups structure and how to design/create, implement, monitor and ensure its sustainability after the project.

Care Group is a cascade of social behaviour change concepts that reaches all households through community volunteers. It is a group of 10–15 volunteer, community-based health educators who regularly meet with project staff for training and supervision. They are different from typical mother’s groups in that each volunteer is responsible for periodically visiting 10–15 of her neighbours (Neighbor Women), sharing what she has learned and facilitating social behaviour change at the household level.

Care Groups create a multiplying effect to equitably reach every beneficiary household with interpersonal behaviour change communication. The target populations of a Care Group are women of reproductive age, pregnant women, and mothers of children under five years old.

Addressing the participants, Prof. Tih Pius Muffih, the Country Secretariat Director of the RAISE 4 ZDC Project, called on all delegates to ensure proper grasping of Knowledge being shared with them by the facilitators. He also called for assiduous implementation as this is one of the joker strategies to reach targeted under-immunized children in Cameroon.

Participants learned from the wealth of experience from the Senior Technical Advisor for Health and Nutrition from “Food for the Hungry USA” – Mrs Mariamu Amadi – and the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer Lead of ACHAP, Kenya – Mr. Denis Kinyoki.

The training gave the delegates a perfect understanding of what Care Groups are, their core objectives and structure, and the criteria for selecting its target audience in the communities. Other lessons learned from the over 270-page manual included organizing communities into care groups and the numbering system, the roles, responsibilities and job description of a Care Group Volunteer, behaviour change and Care Groups, home visits, Care Group Monitoring Information Systems: introduction to registers, supervision and reporting.

At the end of the training, Mariamu Amadi, the lead facilitator, said, “Knowledge and information are no longer enough to affect social behaviour change positively; we need to do more than inform and educate. I have no doubt the participants would contextualize the Knowledge learned in their respective communities to create the desired results.”

Delegates left the CBC Health Services Resource Center Mvan, promising to begin preparing the ground for effective implementation of Care Groups upon the availability of funds. The training was made possible with funds from GAVI - the Vaccine Alliance - through World Vision US and the Africa Christian Health Associations Platform (ACHAP).

the Regional Delegations of Secondary and Basic Education has launched a Sign Language Dictionary on the occasion of World Hearing Day 2023. The launching took place at the Regional Inclusive Education Resource Center at GBHS Bamenda on March 3, 2023 as part of commemorative activities marking the Day. The Sign Language Dictionary made up of 17 chapters is a compilation of 570 commonly used signs by the deaf community in the North West Region. The initiative, according to the CBC Health Services Inclusion Manager and Sign Language Interpreter, Mr. Che Manasseh is the product of 13 years of research, consultations and deliberations undertaken to recognize and standardize indigenous signs used by deaf people in the North West Region of Cameroon. The official launching of the dictionary was done by the SEEPD Programme Manager, Mr. Awa Jacques Chirac, the Regional Delegate of Secondary Education. Mr. Ngwang Roland Yuven, the representative of the Regional Delegate of Basic Education, Mr. Bafon Lahidou and the Chairperson of the Coordinating Unit of the Associations of Persons with Disabilities (CUAPWD) in the North West Region, Nongning Armelle. The launching ceremony was attended by inclusive education stakeholders promoting community sign language. Welcoming participants to the launching, the Northwest Regional Delegate of Secondary Education thanked the CBC Health Services for efforts put to make the sign language dictionary a reality. He also commended the venue of the launch, which he said, takes care of the needs of learners with disabilities in the North West Region. Speaking on behalf of the CBC Health Services Director, Mr. Awa Jacques Chirac said in line with the 2023 World Hearing Day theme, “Ear and hearing care for all! Let's make it a reality”, the CBC Health Services will focus efforts on ensuring access to ear and hearing care to all who need it and advance ways in which this care can be delivered at the primary care level. He explained that through the Ear and Hearing Care Program launched in 2021 the CBC Health Services has expanded quality Ear and Hearing Care to Cameroonians and the Northwest Region in particular. The SEEPD Programme Manager disclosed that in response to the increasing demand for hearing aids, the CBC Health Services has initiated a Hearing Aids Dispensing Program which will facilitate the procurement, dispensing and management of clients using hearing aids. The sign language dictionary was produced in line with the recommendation of the World Federation of the Deaf for emerging countries to develop their own sign languages based on their culture. It is also aimed at mitigating frustrations faced by deaf children in their education without any reference sign language textbooks or dictionaries in bookshops to facilitate their education. It is a pedagogic tool intended to assist families of children with hearing loss, teachers in inclusive schools, and community leaders to learn sign language within a very short period of time.

In his closing remarks, the representative of the Regional Delegate of Basic Education, Bafon Lahidou lauded the CBC health Services for the time and resources put to come out with the dictionary. He called on the stakeholders to go back and ensure effective use of the dictionary for progress in the academic pursuits of learners with hearing impairments. He promised advocacy on their part for the dictionary to be moved to the concerned ministries for eventual inclusion in the forth coming booklist for use in primary and secondary schools. The Chairperson of CUAPWD, Nongning Armelle speaking earlier on, appreciated the SEEPD Programme for the initiative, saying it has come to bridge the communication gap between deaf persons and the rest of the community members. Ear Screening for Mayors Another significant innovation in the celebration of the 2023 World Hearing Day was a free ear and hearing screening for Mayors of some 17 Member Councils of the North West Regional Branch of the United Cities and Councils of Cameroon (UCCC). The screening was done on March 2, 2023 by a team from the CBC Health Services in partnership with the North West Regional Branch of the UCCC still within the context of the SEEPD Programme. This was during a meeting of the North West Regional branch of the UCCC that held at the conference hall of the North West Regional Assembly.

In his welcome address, the President of the North West Regional branch of the United Cities and Councils and Of Cameroon, Mayor Awoh Ndang Denis welcomed the Director of CBC Health Services who was represented by the Coordinator of the Ear and Hearing Care Project, Mr. Achateseh Godwill.  Mayor Ndang recognized and appreciated the CBC Health Services noting that it is a major partner of UCCC following an MoU signed with the SEEPD Programme in November 2022. The partnership, the Mayor said, marked an important face lift for all Councils in terms of disability inclusive development. He revealed that it is against this partnership that the CBC Health Services was providing free ear screening and checking vital signs of the Mayors. A key highlight during the UCCC meeting was a presentation on the role of Municipalities in the promotion of Deaf Culture and Access to Ear and Hearing Care by the CBC Health Services Ear and Hearing Care Project Coordinator, Mr Achateseh Godwill. He exhorted Mayors to facilitate access to ear and hearing care services for all members of their communities, and facilitate the inclusion of people with hearing loss in all areas of the mainstream life of their communities. The 2023 World Hearing Day activities by the CBC Health Services were organised within the context of the SEEPD Programme with support from CBM.

districts in Cameroon with high levels of zero-dose children. Hence, the RAISE for Sahel (R4S) team dropped its bags in Maga to confirm with the communities what the data and desk review surveys portrayed. This trip was also to ascertain the possibility of adapting the creation of Care Groups in Maga communities.

The team led by the Technical Coordinator of the R4S project - Dr Njume Epie, visited the Regional Delegation of Far North, the Regional EPI Coordination Office, the District Medical Officer of Maga, the Divisional Officer of Maga, the Sultan of Pous, the Health Center of Guivirdig and some Community women to ascertain and consolidate their findings about Maga Health District.

“Maga is inaccessible in the rainy season as it is situated in the lower basin of the Logone and Chari Rivers. Also, Lake Maga is 4 metres above the land. Hence, when there is a heavy downpour, Maga literally sinks underwater,” Mr. Sede Divisional Officer of Maga, bolstered.

Despite the heavy bodies of water surrounding Maga, Maga continuously attracts people from diverse backgrounds as it is inhabited by;  Mousgoums, Shuwa Arabs, nomads and migrants from Chad and the Central African Republic. Its inhabitants believe Maga remains a source of blessings to them as it has several income-generating activities in the fishing, rice farming and tourist sectors.

The contamination of the rivers and lakes with human and animal waste, sewage spills and water runoff during rainfalls, coupled with the low immunisation coverage in Maga, has exposed its inhabitants to several vaccine-preventable diseases.

“The facts are glaring, and the urgency is unprecedented, especially with the recent discovery of a polio case in Maga. While this case shows that our surveillance system is effective, it also reminds us that we must close the Gaps in immunisation.” Dr. Yaya Alhadji Adam, the Regional EPI Coordinator for the Far North.

“From all indications, our database informed your choices because Maga needs such reinforcement, and I can only welcome you to the Far North Region. Your coming is not only timely but also indispensable as it will help us guarantee the wellness of every child,” Dr. Hamadou Bava Boubakary, Far North Regional Delegate of Public Health intimated.

While talking with the community women, the R4S team realised that there is a lot of misinformation, ignorance, and social norms preventing families from vaccinating their children. “I don’t vaccinate my children because I think it will make them barren.” Fadhi, a mother of a toddler, explained.

Phil Moses, a Food for the Hungry partner, accompanied the team to Maga to appraise the landscape and recommend how to contextualise the rolling out of Care Groups in Maga. It is worth noting that the Care Group model is a head count systematic approach to reinforcing behaviour change in communities. This aspect remains an underpinning facet in demand creation for immunisation services which would go a long way to dispel myths and provide accurate information to the underserved people of Maga.

The R4S team is rolling its sleeves to bring all hands on deck, from the regional health delegation through the religious leaders to the community level, to ensure they reach the last mile in immunising every child in Maga.