dons à la maternité de Mouanko
The FFCA We leave Douala at 5:30 am: Direction Édéa by the RN3.
We leave Douala at 5:30 am: Direction Édéa by the RN3.
From Édéa the road turns into a track. We should be in the dry season but climate change is affecting Cameroon and Africa in general. The road becomes muddy, full of potholes, gullied.
We cross huge palm groves and rubber plantations. After 2.5 hours and about 60 kilometres we are approaching our goal.
finally Mouanko!
The town of Mouanko, in the Littoral Region, covers 1380 km2 around the largest river in Cameroon: the Sanaga. At the last census, it had 9200 inhabitants, 1600 of whom live in the town itself, (in comparison Paris is 105km2 for 2.2 million inhabitants). This figure should be taken with caution as the region has experienced a large influx of migrants.
Here we are in front of the maternity hospital, the mud has not spared us. The welcome from the deputy mayor, from whom we had obtained permission to come and see the needs of his establishment and make our donation at the same time, is warm, almost as if we were family. He will accompany us throughout the day.
the visit
The doctor shows us around. The equipment is simple, even minimalist. He tells us about his equipment needs. About fifteen young or future mothers are waiting for us in the waiting room. We were touched by their joy at receiving a bath, nappies, clothes and hygiene products for their newborns.
A woman doctor, having learned of our presence, asked us to visit her dispensary which was in great need of equipment for its maternity ward.
We realise the ordeal of women with perinatal complications: enduring 2.5 hours of dirt tracks, unfortunately impassable in the rainy season, to reach Édéa, which has several hospital structures, or travelling by pirogue (50 minutes) to the economic capital Douala, but the maritime part of the crossing is uncertain. The deputy mayor informs us that the commune does not have the necessary means to buy a medical boat.
At the end of this busy day, our guardian angel insisted on showing us the tourist qualities of his town and invited us to attend the next traditional festival in Mouanko in November. Thanks again to the inhabitants of the town for their warm welcome.
Voir la Vidéo Maternité de Mouanko
To discover Mouanko, follow this link:Mouanko, a dream destination YouTube by Charles Loïc ONDO (17mn10)
