Cameroon: In Eyang, Gwags Sponsorship Becomes a Lifeline to Healthcare

EYANG, PAV – Gwags’ sponsorship of the Cameroon Medical Students Association (CAMESA) 2026 Health Campaign is helping bring essential healthcare services closer to inhabitants of Eyang, with more than 100 people benefiting from free consultations, laboratory tests and medication on the second day of the outreach.

Day two of the health campaign on Wednesday, August 12, was held at the Eyangatem Integrated Health Centre as part of a five-day health initiative covering Nguti, Manyemen, Mboka, Ntale and Eyang from August 11 to 15. Other sponsors of CAMESA 2026 include Ascovine, the Ministry of Public Health, and Cameroon Town Hall for Healthcare Professionals, among others.

The intervention is designed to reach communities where distance, transport costs and limited resources can make access to healthcare difficult. At Eyang, inhabitants interacted directly with healthcare professionals and received a range of services, including general and dental consultations, laboratory tests, and medication.

Dr Fah Atanga, moderator of the CAMESA 2026 Health Campaign, described the second day as a success, saying the medical team attended to more than 100 participants. “Today, day two of work at the Eyangatem IHC, we offered free general and dental consultations, laboratory tests and drug dispensation,” Dr Atanga said.

He added that between five and seven surgical cases had been identified and would benefit from free surgical interventions by a specialised team of surgeons during the campaign. “On a general note, I must say today was a success; patient flow was well managed, organisation was proper, staff and patient harmony was optimal. We close this day on a good note,” he said.

For beneficiaries, the outreach provided an opportunity to receive medical attention without having to travel far from their communities. Tambe Gregory said the outreach was particularly important for people who struggle to raise money for medical care and transportation.

“I will be happy if these promoters continue to do it because it is not even easy for us, a farmer, at this hour to get money to buy drugs or go to consult,” he said. “Even the transport to the hospital is not easy. So we thank the initiative.”

Sponsorship with a purpose

For Gwags, the sponsorship represents an investment in community wellbeing rather than simply financial support for an event. Vianney Tanifor, a Gwags board member, said sponsorship was particularly important in reaching isolated communities such as Nguti.

“I think sponsorships like this are what makes healthcare possible,” Tanifor said. “It is the reason why we’re able to reach more people and can affect more communities.”

Tanifor, who has an interest in healthcare, said the campaign also provided an opportunity to understand how social and economic conditions influence health outcomes. He noted that healthcare professionals must consider factors such as occupation, economic circumstances and the environment in which people live when assessing their health.

“For me, being able to see a stark contrast between the way we treat patients in the United States and to be able to translate that work here in the Nguti region has been pretty insightful,” he said.

Gwags Board Chair and Interim Executive Director, Giovanny Bikak Mbal, said the foundation was impressed by the work carried out by the medical team despite the difficulties associated with the area. “From the sponsorship perspective, I would say I’m pretty much amazed by what they were able to do so far,” Mbal said.

He said the team was able to assess patients, take their vital signs, conduct laboratory tests and identify cases requiring surgery. Mbal also pointed to challenges including language barriers and insecurity in the area but said the medical team had managed to continue providing services.

He said the intervention had demonstrated that people living far from major health facilities could still gain access to medical care when healthcare services are taken directly to their communities.

According to Mbal, Gwags intends to deepen its involvement in healthcare and explore other areas, including mental health and vaccination campaigns. “Definitely the health sector is one where Gwags will be investing more and more because, hey, if you are not healthy, then you don’t have the strength to do anything else in life,” he said.