Situation Analysis of the Buea Hemodialysis Center
Situation Analysis of the Buea Hemodialysis Center found in the Buea Regional hospital, South West Region Cameroon.
Introduction; The Hospital.
The Buea regional hospital is found in the Fako division of the South West Region of Cameroon on the foot of Mount Cameroon; Situated precisely between the delegation of Education and the army camp along the high way to the Bokwango neighborhood.
The hospital is headed by a Director who is assisted by the general supervisor who supervises the activities of the technical staff. The hospital is made up of various departments and units such as the medical unit, the surgical unit, the pediatric unit the maternity, the HIV/AIDS unit, the Laboratory unit, the x-ray unit, the hemodialysis center, the tuberculosis center, the Diabetes Center, the theater department and the outpatient department(OPD).
Each of the units and departments is headed by a specialist doctor (surgeons, Gynecologist, Nephrologists, neurologist etc). Wards are controlled by senior nurses and midwives of different categories and qualifications ranging from state registered nurses to nurses with Master Degrees, Bachelor degrees, HNDs etc. The hospital attends to patients from all over the national territory.
The Hemodialysis Center.
The center was created in 2011 and inaugurated by the minister of health on the 12th of September. It operates daily except on Sundays. Dialysis at the center usually starts at 5am daily and nurses work three to four sessions attending to patients from all over the nation. The center has 15 staff (two Doctors, ten nurses, one technician and two cleaners) number of personals and is led by a nephrologist.
Center’s statistic.
Since its creation in 2011, the center has rendered services to more than 300 kidney patients with the following new cases each year,
| Year | New Cases | Total Cases |
| 2012 | 44 | N/A |
| 2013 | 53 | 97 |
| 2014 | 51 | 148 |
| 2015 | 50 | 198 |
| January 2016 | 07 | 205 |
| Total new cases form 2012 – January 2016 | 205 |
The Centre has capacity to accommodate 60 patients; however, the full potential capacity of the centre is not being maximized. There are eight beds two of which require repairs. This account for why dialysis is done in sessions and patients have been grouped some on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 75 patients are currently undergoing dialysis at the clinic every day. The age group of patients ranges from 20 – 57 though there are a few younger and older cases. The average age group is 30years with a greater percentage of women compared to men.
The General State of Patients.
It is challenging for patients to meet up with their financial responsibilities. majority of the patients are mid age Cameroonians. An average Cameroonian is barely able to meet up with day to day life expenses as the minimum wage in country stands at 58000 FCFA and equivalence to US $29 per month. Unemployment for youths is relatively very high. Many Cameroonians cannot effort the services of specialized medical practitioners this explains why most patients at the Clinic end up dying as they cannot continue to afford treatment. Dialectical services not being an exception, it is rang among the most expensive health service in the country. Approximately patients at the Center spend a minimum of 300 000FCFA, an equivalence of $150 monthly for follow up, dialysis, retropoietin injection, blood transfusion and medical examinations. In situation of Crises, depending on its severity, patients require 700 000FCFA ($350) – 1,000 000FCFA ($500) to stabilize their health.
Conclusion.
The IYA Foundation Financial Aid Program has Identified 10 patients to whom financial assistance will be given however, as of the moment of this study, there were 5 urgent cases remaining that could not commence treatment due to financial difficulties. As the number of new cases increases every day and with the growing awareness of the center, there is need for more financial assistance and equipments. Sensitization about kidney disease should also be given priority as the public is still much uninformed. Possible donations of retropoetin will also relief patients.
