Living in Mogeye, a village in Foumbot in the West Region of Cameroon is an eleven (11) year old boy called Edwin Gamse Simon whose parents sought refuge as an Internally Displaced Person (IDPs) from the socio-political crisis which has plagued the Northwest and South West Regions of Cameroon in the recent years. From a polygamous home, his mother gave birth to seven (7) of them, two (2) of whom are living with epilepsy, Edwin inclusive. His parents are peasant farmers and life hasn’t been easy for them especially as they are in a new area. The new environment was also not favorable to Edwin and due to the improper care and management of his epileptic attack, Edwin fell into fire thus sustaining 3rd-degree burns on his head and shoulders. The pain was excruciating for the young boy.
The lack of finances could not permit Edwin’s mother to care for the wounds. There was no first aid kit, no bandages, and no knowledge of how to properly clean the wounds at home. Due to the inert fear of hospital bills from such an ailment, Edwin was not taken to the hospital. Rather his mother was encouraged by well-wishers and onlookers to take him to the traditional healer, a herbalist. This choice can be linked to ignorance, coupled with the misguided belief that he was affordable and could cure any condition. His father, who was sick and paralyzed was also incapacitated. It was therefore easier to take Edwin to the traditional healer, a decision they would have regretted if Edwin was never found in good time for proper intervention to safe the boy’s life.
Over time, the situation of the wounds deteriorated with the pain ever increasing and too much for the boy to bear. He cried all the time and was extremely sad because he could no longer play with his friends. Everyone isolated him because of how gruesome the wounds looked and often smelled. Edwin was stigmatized! It was alleged that his epilepsy could be the result of an underlying curse in the family, so even neighboring parents prevented their kids from associating with him. It is common in communities to see children and even adults being stigmatized when they suffer from epilepsy. Myths and misconceptions about this condition abound. Consequently, Edwin attend school not only because he was asked not to, but also because it was painstaking enough for him – the pain, the stigma etc.
After spending 3 weeks with the herbalist, the condition worsened, which pushed his mother to take him to the Bafousssam Baptist Health Centre where he was referred to Mbingo Baptist Hospital for further treatment. The Bafoussam Baptist Hospital is a partner organization with the Empowerment and Disability Inclusive Development of the CBC Health Services. At this facility, a department to handle these cases to avoid death and further disability. While working with the parents, the EDID department at the Hospital noticed that Edwin’s mother had nothing more than 5000 FCFA on her. Edwin had already received needed treatment and there was the problem of unpaid hospital bills in Bafoussam, and no transport fare to arrive at the Mbingo Baptist Hospital, the referral Hospital of the CBC Health Services. So, the cost of any additional hospital bills and every other thing needed for a successful treatment scared her.
The Administration of Bafoussam Baptist Health Center helped Edwin’s family with transportation to Mbingo where they were admitted on the 5th of August 2020, were hospitalized for five (5) months, and later discharged on the 13th of January 2021, with hospital bills of six hundred and eighty-seven thousand (687,000) FCFA. The EDID program had paid part of the surgical bill of three hundred thousand (300,000) FCFA, so the family was left to complete the bill of three hundred and eighty-seven thousand (387000) FCFA. The EDID program thanks to well empowered Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) workers embarked on resource mobilization by visiting and sharing Edwin’s story with an organization called Des Ames Genereuses which generously helped the family with the sum of five hundred and eighteen thousand (518,000) FCFA which would enable them to complete their hospital bills. The balance of one hundred and thirty-one thousand (131,000) FCFA was to be given to the mother to start up any livelihood activity which will enable her to continue with the follow-up of Edwin’s drugs and other needs.
A business plan has been developed to help the family manage the money properly and they are doing quite well now as Edwin looks happy and playful, always looking over his shoulders to see if his friends have come around. He says he missed playing with his friends and he also missed going to school. The lines of worry which had overtaken his father’s face have disappeared and his mother is hopeful and looks forward to greater days ahead. Edwin is happily back in school with an eagerness that is evident to all. His mother and family are extremely thankful for the EDID program and to all other partners that helped them in this dire hour of their need.
His class teacher Kokem Glory continuous to encourage him to study especially as he lost two academic years during his illness. She also thanks the CBR workers, the CBC Health Services and the support received from the Liliane Foundation.
By Clementina Njang Yong
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