Health workers’ plight in Cameroon’s Anglophone crisis.

  *Kidnapped nurse released after three days .

By Shufai Moh

The ongoing Anglophone crisis in Cameroon, sparked off by teachers of the English Subsystem of education in the country, demanding improved work conditions, has left some health workers traumatized especially nurses who have been attacked or kidnapped by armed separatists fighting for the independence of Anglophones whom the latter say are grossly marginalized in the country

The protesting teachers were later joined by advocates of the Common law who found themselves in similar poor working conditions but were not satisfactorily attended to by Cameroon government.

The Anglophone crisis, which started in late October   2016, has led to the death of over five thousand Cameroonians as violent and bloody clashes between Government forces and Anglophone separatists continue.

Victims of the ongoing Anglophone crisis are people of all walks of life.

 But nurses are thought to be among the most persecuted of the crisis, for attending to or treating wounded amba fighters whom the Cameroon government likens to terrorists

There have been disturbing reports how nurses have been arrested for interrogation in connection of the treatment of wounded amba fighters; some kidnapped or brutalized for performing their duties as car e givers.

In fact, health workers have been attacked by both government forces and armed separatist fighters. Some going to work face the risk of improvised explosive devices planted by amba fighters .

The fate befalling health professionals in the crisis-stricken Anglophone regions   has made many of them to abandon their job sides and are now living in hideouts, with some fleeing abroad for safety reasons.

 Over forty thousand Cameroonians have reportedly fled to Nigeria to seek asylum because of the ongoing crisis. The severity of the crisis has left more than half a million people internally displaced.

 Hundreds of fleeing Cameroonians are now abroad for asylum purpose and many are looking for opportunities to do same.

The story is circulated of a certain Mbaw Mireille Epse Ngwa, a victim of a recent amba kidnapping.

Mbaw, who is a nurse was on Sunady 21^st August 2022 reportedly kidnapped in Ekona, Southwest region of Cameroon, by amba fighters who accused her of being a traitor.

 Mbaw had rushed to Ekona from Buea to assist her diabetic mother-in-law who was in need of quick medical attention.

Unfortunately, the nurse was kidnapped by the roadside and taken into the bush where she threatened with death and tortured before she was asked to pay a ransom of three million Fcfa.

She was released three days later when her family reportedly paid the ransom.

The plight of Mbaw has reportedly intensified the fear of health practitioners in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon as to what the future holds for them as their try to exercise their duties.

The Anglophone crisis has had a damaging effect health institutions and educational institutions. It is reported that over a million children have been unable to attend school and many patients are afraid to visit hospitals because of violence and insecurity that has characterized the crisis.

Other characteristics of the crisis include extra-judicial killings, disappearances, beheadings, illegal arrests and sexual assaults

 Cameroon President Paul Biya’s efforts to resolve the crisis seem to have failed as separatist fighters are still in bushes and would come out sporadically to attack peoples and vandalize property.