Cameroon’s leading health care provider takes austerity measures as conflict downsizes revenue

The Cameroon Baptist Convention (CBC) Health Services, the leading health care provider in the country says it is facing difficulties meeting up with its running cost.

With November ending, the health board has started implementing austerity measures announced last month.

Following a meeting by CBCHS leaders on October 22 and 23, it was decided that the CBC Health Services leadership should solicit savings and donations from the staff of the CBC Health Services to fund the payment of old bills and the purchase of drugs for the services.

One of the key resolutions reached was that “the board should accept donations from staff and individuals that will alleviate the financial burden and … should accept staff who are ready to invest 100% salary for 2 months towards this goal.”

“All staff from category 4 and above shall save 50% of their net salaries with CBC Health Services for up to 4 months. The staff whose salaries show amounts below sustenance levels (less than 37,000FCFA) will be spared from this investment,” the health board declared.

The measures, it added, took effect from November 1, 2020, and will end by February 2021 and repayment shall start from April 2021.

“Staff,” the document signed by CBCHS Director, Prof Tih Pius reads, “shall receive their full salary in March 2021… The repayment shall be at the rate of 25% to 50% per month from April 2021.”

During this period he noted, “The Health Board administration will negotiate with financial institutions to suspend loan deductions of our staff during this period.”

The Meskine Baptist Hospital in Maroua was exempted from the measures, considering that it was in a transition.

The austerity measures, the CBC Health Services revealed, came after considering the socio-political crisis that has hit the North West and South West regions causing thousands of deaths and displacements.

The health care provider, it should be noted, has some of its largest establishments including its headquarters in the conflict-hit regions.

“Both the crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic have posed untold financial hardship on individuals and institutions … patients’ attendance has dropped significantly in all our health facilities resulting from the roadblocks, ghost towns, and Covid-19 scare,” it stated.

The health care giant’s leaders note that with these challenges, “the outstanding bills for drugs already consumed is over 750 million FCFA … we need over 600 million francs to purchase drugs now.”

CBC Health Services is not the only victim of the crisis. Days back, the government revealed that it has been subsidizing the Cameroon Development Corporation, CDC, which is the second-largest employer after the state. CDC has been receiving 2.5 billion FCFA monthly from the state.

The conflicting parties, however, show no signs of stopping, leaving corporations and innocent civilians in the mix.

Mimi Mefo Info