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Everybody deserves a strong umbrella on a rainy day: Universal Health Care in Cameroon

Homepage Public Health Everybody deserves a strong umbrella on a rainy day: Universal Health Care in Cameroon
Public Health

Everybody deserves a strong umbrella on a rainy day: Universal Health Care in Cameroon

December 16, 2019
By Christie Linonge
3 Comments
4568 Views

It is Tuesday morning and after ten days of sleeping on the floor or on a chair in all awkward positions, you’ve finally been cleared by the Doctor to leave the hospital. It is not easy to be a “garde malade” (patient carer) as it is commonly called in Cameroon. Your children cannot wait to have you back home. It is the third time this year your mother is admitted. Good thing the Doctor said it was a mild incident. Finally, it is your turn at the counter and the cashier smiles as she sees your familiar face. She quickly puts together your bill and says,

“Your bill is 94,350 FCFA ($170).”

“Ah ah!!” you scream.

In your pocket, you have only 45,000 FCFA left. You had saved it to pay school fees for your second child.

“Well, school fees can wait”

You told yourself as you emptied your account this morning. It is not even half the amount she’s asking for. There’s no way you’ll spend an extra night in this godforsaken hospital, but;

  • How do you pay the rest of the bill?
  • How do you pay school fees?
  • How do you feed you family?
Image result for pictures of child poverty in Cameroon
Source: https://www.hopeforchildrencameroon.org/

For many of us, this is not just a story but a life experience. This is the reason why we must raise our voices in unison to champion the implementation of a Universal Health Coverage (UHC) plan in our various countries. UHC simply means that all people in a society are able to obtain health services – prevention, promotion, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care – that they need, of high-quality, without fear that the cost of paying for these services at the time of use will push them into financial hardship. This is not just a myth, it is a reality that people in other parts of the world live. Imagine all what this will mean for you! You no longer have to worry about which lab tests are more important or which drug on the prescription should be bought first or how long your relatives stay in the hospital. More importantly, you do not have to make these health choices at the expense of food on your table or your children’s school fees. This is the world I want for myself and my children so we must act now to make this a reality for us.

 

 Mbianyor Bill-Erich

 

C’est mardi matin et après dix jours de sommeil sur le sol ou sur une chaise dans toutes les positions inconfortables, vous êtes enfin prêt à quitter l’hôpital. Il n’est pas facile d’être un «garde malade» comme ils l’appellent affectueusement. Vos enfants ont hâte de vous revoir à la maison. C’est déjà la troisième fois cette année que votre mère souffre d’une crise cardiaque. Dieu merci, le médecin a dit que c’était un petit incident. Enfin, c’est votre tour au comptoir et la caissière vous fait un sourire de bon matin en faisant rapidement le point sur votre situation financière.

“Votre facture est de 94 350 FCFA.”

” Mais non !!!” vous criez.

Dans votre poche, il ne reste que 45 000 FCFA. Vous l’aviez épargné pour payer les frais de scolarité de Enow, mais les frais de scolarité peuvent attendre, vous vous êtes dit en vidant votre compte ce matin. Ce n’est même pas la moitié du montant qu’elle demande. Il n’y a aucun moyen que vous passiez une nuit supplémentaire dans cet hôpital abandonné.

Pour beaucoup d’entre nous, ce n’est pas seulement une histoire mais une expérience de vie. C’est la raison pour laquelle nous devons élever nos voix ensemble pour défendre la mise en œuvre d’un plan de couverture santé universelle (CSU) dans nos différents pays. La CSU signifie simplement que toutes les personnes dans une société peuvent obtenir les services de santé – prévention, promotion, traitement, réhabilitation et soins palliatifs – dont ils ont besoin, de haute qualité, sans craindre que le coût du paiement de ces services au moment de l’utilisation les poussera dans des difficultés financières. En d’autres termes, la CSU est votre meilleure alliée pour vous maintenir en très bonne santé à un coût sans stress. Ce n’est pas seulement un mythe, c’est une réalité que vivent les gens dans d’autres parties du monde. Imaginez tout ce que cela pourrait signifier pour vous! Vous n’avez plus à vous soucier des tests de laboratoire les plus importants ou du médicament sur ordonnance à acheter en premier ou de la durée de séjour de vos proches à l’hôpital. Plus important encore, vous n’avez pas à faire ces choix de santé au détriment de la nourriture sur votre table ou des frais de scolarité de vos enfants. C’est le monde que je veux pour moi et mes enfants, nous devons donc agir maintenant pour en faire une réalité pour nous.

 

Translation: Landry Dubois Nzima Yengue

Editor: Christie Linonge, MD MSc(c)

 

Tags: disease prevention growth public health universal health care

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3 replies added

  1. Oryn Yong December 16, 2019

    Great write-up. One of the key issues limiting national economic prosperity and individual productivity is lack of universal health coverage. The poorest nations tend to be some of the sickest ones too.

  2. Favdoctor December 16, 2019

    Eric this is wonderful. Together we will fight for UHC

  3. Esc December 28, 2019

    great write up

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