COVID-19 : Doctors Without Borders Applauds Patient care At Djoungolo hospital
The Director General of Doctors Without Borders (DWB), Stephen Cornish has expressed satisfaction with the quality of care provided to COVID patients at the Djoungolo hospital.
The hospital is situated at the heart of the nation’s capital, Yaounde has been one of the key health facilities where COVID patients are cared for in the Cameroon.
A team from the international humanitarian medical non-governmental organization, DWB, visited the treatment centre to assess the hospital’s capacity to manage the second wave of the pandemic.
The Director General of DWB, Stephen Cornish alongside Christine Janet, Director of Operations, led the team around various units of the hospital, including the reception, screening unit, pharmacy, refectory, wards and vaccination unit.
Stephen Cornish applauded the collaboration between the Ministry of Public Health, Doctors Without Borders and the Djoungolo hospital.
“Here at the center, testing, vaccination and treatment for COVID-19 have always been free of charge. I am very pleased with the protection of the patients and the care of the patients. This shows me that we are ready for the second wave and we will be able to help Cameroonians in this response,” Stephen Cornish said.
The Djoungolo Treatment centre
The Djoungolo treatment centre is entirely managed by Doctors Without Borders, in collaboration with the hospital.
It has a total of 110 health care providers, 97 of them from the Public Health Ministry, provide care to COVID-19 patients 24 hours a day.
The centre has a capacity of 50 beds. A total of 15 COVID patients are currently hospitalized; two of them on oxygen.
According to Dr. Jules Katembo, Project Cordinator of the Djoungolo treatment “patients are fed, clothed and treated free of charge” till recovery.
Feeding is provided with considerations for patients health conditions.
Complicated cases, are also treated at the centre but patients with delicate health conditions are referred to the Orca treatment center or the Yaounde Central hospital.
In April 2020, Doctors Without Boarders set up four wards comprising 50 beds uniquely for COVID-19 patients.
During the first wave of the pandemic, the team spent five months at the hospital offering care to patients. The team that has been at the Djoungolo hospital since April 19, 2021, and will treat patients for the next three months, and May extend their stay if need be.
Doctors Without Borders has admitted 403 COVID patients at the centre since COVID got to Cameroon in 2020. The organization counts 387 recoveries and five deaths recorded during this same period.
Kathy Neba Sina