The LAP ministry began in the later months of 1979 in the Mbem field area following approval by the CBC Medical Board to begin a six months pilot project enabling underserved communities to have and to share abundant life and health.

• Target group

  LAP covers over 50 villages with services for people of all age groups, sexes, religion, tribes, social and economical standing. Within the 11 LAP Health Areas, there are about 19 separate tribal groups with some areas having several dialects. Socio- economically, LAP communities are mainly rural people with fairly low literacy rates. They rely on subsistence farming, animal husbandry and group income generating schemes for their livelihood. Culturally, communities are different from one to the other though due to migration and settlement, and the heritage of certain groups, there are clear traces of cultural similarities. Basically all LAP communities have good potential for growth and development.
  The Village Health Committee is usually made up of volunteers who are the more educated and elderly persons in the village and who supervise the organization and financial concerns of the PHCs.
  The criteria for the selection of the target group/beneficiaries and made using pre- set ‘Priority Indicators’ and the recommendation of the Field Supervisor for that area.

• LAP Management Committee

  The LAP Management Committee (LMC) is the management Board for LAP. It meets twice per year and comprises: Director of Health Services, CBC Field Director, BBH Administrator, Director of CIMS, President of CBTS Ndu, Principal of the Private Training School of Health Personnel (PTSHP), Representative of Chief of Centre, Nso Field Pastor, Representative of BGC Mission Board, LAP Administrator, LAP Supervisor of Education, LAP Accountant, LAP Bursar, LAP Field Supervisor Representative, and Local Community Representative. Other relevant and interested parties are invited to attend from time to time e.g. LAP Spiritual Development Supervisor. 
  Development and planning are done by a team made up of the Administrator, Systems Administrator, Supervisor of Education, Programme Analyst, Supervisor of Christian Development, and Financial Assistant
  The Resource Pool (RP) meets two times a year and comprises: LAP Management Team that is all Field Supervisors and Field Assistants. Areas needing special expertise are covered by professionals from Health Board or other appropriate organizations both within and without CBC. 

• Management Team

  The LAP Management Team includes all of LAP Central staff plus community representation. They are the LAP Administrator ,LAP Supervisor of Education, Spiritual Development Supervisor, LAP Bursar ,LAP Accountant, Outreach Development Supervisor, Clinical Supervisor, MCH Services Supervisor, Family and Children Services Supervisor, Muslim Ministries Supervisor, Francophone Ministries Field Supervisor, PMTCT Field Supervisor, MTCT+ Field Supervisor , LAP Drivers, Field Assistants, Support and Hospitality & Security Workers, Village Health Workers and Family Health Visitors, Trained Birth Attendants (TBAs) Family Health Visitors and Village Health committee

• PMTCT Services since 2005

  The Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) program is one of the 11 components of the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services AIDS Care and Prevention program. It has been on going in 34 LAP villages. This program has continued to experience a rise in its activities. The Field supervisors together with staff in the coordination office carry out regular supervisory visits to the sites. Visits to the sites are usually on ANC days so that they have the opportunity to participate in counselling sessions and make corrections where need be. These Field supervisors take along drugs and test kits to replenish where necessary and withdraw supplies that are near expiry. HIV and AIDS Care and treatment have been added to be piloted in a few sites.

• Challenges

  With the increase in the number of sites, we have shortage of staff and vehicles to carry out supervision. Some of the roads are bad and isolated thus hindering regular and effective supervision.
  Treatment centres are still few compared to the HIV positive population and many clients do not have access to these sites either due to bad roads or lack of money for transportation.
  Follow up of positive mothers and their children remain a challenge. Fear and stigma make some HIV positive mothers to deny follow – up at home.
  Despite the motivation given to service providers, a lot of them still expect more than what the Program can afford and sustain. 
  Infant feeding still stands as a challenge as most mothers find it difficult sustaining their preferred method. 
  Most men are not willing to come with their wives to do the HIV test during ANC.

Contact:
Lab Administrator
675828326