By Bakah Derick
The Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services (CBCHS) has acquired a new equipment for ear surgery and cochlear implantation. The Micro Surgery Ear Set was received by the Director of CBCHS Prof Tih Pius Muffih and dedicated for use on Wednesday 18 January 2023 during morning prayers at the Nkwen Baptist Center.
Speaking during the event, Dr Bonko Neville of the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) department of the Nkwen Baptist Hospital explained that the equipment will facilitate Middle Ear surgeries and surgeries for cochlear implantation. This will also be used to handle hearing complications for new borns.
"This set will be used to handle some problems in the ear in relation to hearing loss. In the past, we have been able to diagnose patients who have hearing loss especially children who are just being born and some adults but when we come to a point where they need an advanced rehabilitative modality where hearing aids where no able to work, we only had to tell them that we are sorry that we can't help you beyond this point. Now with this equipment, we are able to take hearing rehabilitation to it's utmost end." Dr Bonko Neville told www.hilltopvoices.com.
"We are targeting mostly children because, we want to get children from zero to almost four years of age because this is the time they get vital skills and hearing processes within the brain and that is when they gain speech because a child who cannot hear cannot speak. There are some children who cannot talk and the parents think that they have a problem with their tongue and they call it tongue-tied but it just because the children are not able to hear. We want to get this children early enough so we can give them the ability to hear so they can communicate and interact better with the society." He added
Purchased for the CBCHS by the Socio-economic Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SEEPD) program with funds from Christian Blind Mission (CBM), the program's manager Awa Jacque Chirac explains that their major objective is to reduce new cases of children born with hearing impairment.
"The prevalence of hearing impairment in the North West Region is estimated at 2.4 per cent from studies and we think much can still be done to reduce the incidence of new cases of children born with hearing impairment who end up living as deaf persons. In the context of what we do on the SEEPD program, this equipment was purchased to expand the services CBCHS offers, treat and rehabilitate disabilities... there is still a little bit more to be done to fully equip our cochlear implantation services and the needs have been clearly assessed and measures are being taken to address that in future." Awa Jacque Chirac told www.hilltopvoices.com.
While appreciating their partners Christian Blind Mission (CBM) for facilitating the training of Dr Bonko Neville in India, the Director of CBCHS Prof Tih Pius Muffih has expressed satisfaction with his institution's ability to make life more comfortable and easier for those who have hearing impairment within the North West and the rest of the country.
"The machine maybe there but if they don't use it, it will not improve on the lives of children and adults." Prof Tih Pius said while encouraging the population to make use of the equipment.
The Micro Surgery Ear Set reception comes few weeks after the CBCHS announced another innovation in the management and treatment of erectile dysfunction with the ED1000.
The consistent efforts of the institution to improve Healthcare delivery across was on the occasion recognised by the LIFE Time Media Group with an achievement award 'For providing quality and affordable health services to local communities. The CEO of the Life Time Media Tim Finnian has described the award as a source of encouragement to the entire staff of the CBCHS through the Director for the exceptional services offered to those in need.
Cross section of CBCHS staff during the reception and dedication
Created in 1975, CBCHS with over 5000 employees is a Faith-based, Humanitarian and Inclusive Organization that offers holistic care to all who need it as an expression of Christian love with services spread over 9 of the 10 Regions of Cameroon.
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