Cameroon:Government Told University of Buea Needs Teaching Hospital

By Christopher Ambe 

The Minster of Higher Education, Professor Jacques Jame Ndongo inaugurated, on October 23, the Teaching Laboratory Block of the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Buea(UB),away from  UB main campus.He described  the new building as a " wonderful gift from President Paul Biya"

Cameroon's Higher Education Minister  Professor Jacques Fame Ndongo being received at the ceremony

The Vice-chancellor of UB, Dr. Nalova Lyonga,who was thankful  to the State of Cameroon for funding  the realization of  the  project, used the ceremony to call on the government to  construct and equip a teaching hospital for the university, which graduated its for first batch of medical doctors last year .

"It is important that when we have a place like this there should be an amphitheatre and teaching hospital", the VC told the minster who, she noted, has been very supportive of the growth of UB. "The Minister has done a lot of good things for the university."
She saluted renowned professors such as Gottlieb Monekosso (present at the event) and Nasah Boniface, who baby-sat the project .The VC also hailed Group Waga, for constructing the befitting structure.

Reacting to the development worries and plea of the VC, Minister Fame Ndongo, in his inaugural speech, declared, "The construction will continue because it is part of the Greater Accomplishments of President Paul Biya. We have money to add more of such buildings"

Prof Fame Ndongo acknowledged that for some time now Cameroon has suffered acute lack of health professionals such as doctors, pharmacists and dentists. He said Government is now doing best to bridge the wide gap between doctors and patients. The doctor-patient ratio in the past years used to be one doctor to over 10,000 patients. He the training of more doctors now is approved institutions is in line with Government resolve to narrow the gap.

The minister commended the UB pro-chancellor Prof Maurice Tchuente and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Nalova Lyonga, whom he likened to an iron lady as well as other UB officials for making the varsity the pride of academia in the Ministry of Higher Education. He expressed the wish to see UB always remain "The place to be"

Partial view of the Teaching Laboratory Block   recently inaugurated

Earlier in a speech, Professor Ngowe Ngowe Marcelin, dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, had presented the faculty which started in 1993 with few students but today it has over 800 .Prof Ngowe  said the faculty just produced its first official journal and boasts of a website. He stressed the need for the faculty to be fenced round and for more equipment and personnel  

The inauguration of the structure was witnessed among other dignitaries by Fon Ndikum Clement, Secretary-general of the Southwest Region, representing the Governor Bernard Okalia Bilai.
The construction of the  new faculty buildings has reportedly consumed over four billion Fcfa.
[Also Published in The RECORDER Newspaper,Cameroon,of October 28,2013]