
Dr. Albert Nyanga
Internist
STORIES FROM THE GROUND: CAMEROON
An immediate shock rushed through his body, followed by a continuous throbbing pain. Thankfully, Albert was treated by a doctor who was able to successfully remove the wood and eliminate the pain. In no time Albert was heading home, heartened and full of admiration for the doctor who cared for him. From that day forward Albert was set on becoming a doctor so that he too could heal and relieve people of their pain.
To add to the difficulty of reaching the hospital, a crisis is underway in Cameroon, and on more than one occasion the road to Mbingo has been forcibly closed by rebel groups. Before the crisis, Mbingo served close to 500 patients a day. Now due to the road blockages and increasing instability, the hospital is treating approximately 150 patients a day, including gunshot victims, many of whom are civilians not directly involved in the conflict.
Despite this present violence in Cameroon, every morning Albert wakes up at 5 am and puts on his uniform. Often times he dashes off to the hospital without having breakfast, however, he does take time for a morning prayer. His day ahead is unpredictable so he asks God for grace, guidance, and understanding in all that he undertakes. Albert also asks for his patients to get well so that they may return home, and for encouragement when that is not the case.
Though international faculty are unable to come to the hospital and teach, Health4TheWorld (H4TW) facilitates lectures for the residents. These lectures are held in a virtual classroom, led by world-class doctors who cover a number of topics including atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, cancer, diabetes, and HIV, each of which are critical areas of study for doctors in Cameroon.
The international education support that H4TW provides allows residents and doctors to immediately improve patient care and implement more effective diagnostic strategies. In this way, little by little, patient by patient, healthcare in Cameroon is changing. Albert has been resolute in creating this change ever since he lost one of his first patients, a woman named Grace who had HIV. He is not alone in this effort. He is leading the way with Cameroon’s future doctors, who are brimming with dedication and compassion, and joined in this mission by H4TW.

Elsa Dieterle
Journalism Team - H4TW