Two Giant Projects Growing Up in Mbingo Baptist Hospital
At a time when the ongoing war in the Northwest and Southwest regions has dealt a blow on Mbingo Baptist Hospital (MBH), the hospital is strategizing and taking significant actions to remain a reference in the African sub-region.
Two major projects and possibly a third will soon see the light of day. The hydroelectricity project and the oxygen project are well on course while the radiology project is in the offing. All three projects are spearheaded by the indefatigable Dean of the Baptist Institute of Health Sciences (BHIS), Dr. Dennis Palmer.
The realization of the hydroelectricity project will solve the energy needs of Mbingo Baptist Hospital for good. The project, which started on April 20, 2020, is in seven components namely:
- Digging of the penstock line as recommended.
- Construction of hydroelectricity power dam.
- Construction of hospital switch gear and D/G building.
- Rebuilding and maintenance of roads.
- High tension line.
- Construction of deviation dam at Back Valley and
- Construction of turbine building at airstrip.
Considerable progress has been made in all the seven components. In particular, the dam measuring 73m long, 7m width and 5m height has been constructed at the Coffee area about 2km above the hospital. Mr. Lambi Daniel of the Technical Services Department of MBH is supervising all the components of this project. All things being equal, the hydroelectricity project should be completed by March 2021.
On the other hand, the oxygen project will go functional in the days ahead, according to MBH Senior Administrator, Mr. Nji Richard Nkeh. At the time of this report, all the installations have been done by two experts, one from Douala – Cameroon and the other from Cote D’Ivoire. This new technology eliminates the oxygen tank that is usually brought to the patient’s bedside who needs resuscitation. Oxygen is now captured and purified in a building where the machines are installed and distributed to the wards and theatre just as electricity is distributed. Any patient in need of oxygen easily plugs into it at the bedside.
MBH Senior Administrator is hopeful that the difficult times will be over sooner than later in order to give patients and other visitors the freedom to come to Mbingo and get expert healing as well as enjoy the beautiful scenario and the major developments. For now, the crisis has restricted movements, especially for patients leading to a drastic drop in turnout in all the hospital departments, consequently, a drop in finances to adequately function as before.