Family Foundation Clinic and Maternity, Bamenda Clocks 26

Meet Cameroonian Gynecologist Dr Nji Peter

Dr Nji Peter is a Medical Doctor and a Gynaecologist by Training. He is the proprietor of the Family Foundation Clinic and Maternity in Bamenda in the Northwest Region of Cameroon. He is the CEO and Chief Medical Officer of the same Health Institution. He begins this interview by bringing to light those first tentative steps that he took.  He was interviewed by Francis Ekongang Nzante. Excerpts:

"I did my Primary School Studies at the Catholic Primary School Small Mankon in Bamenda and later on moved to the Sacred Heart College Mankon still in Bamenda. I later on moved to Saint  Gravis College, Obalende in Lagos. I proceeded to the College of Medicines at the University of Lagos UNILAG where I began my first stage of studies in Medicines. I then went to the Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya where I specialized as an Obstetrician and a Gynecologist."

Can you tell us about Family Foundation Clinic and Maternity and what inspired you to venture into it?  

  When I finished Medical Studies in Nigeria and returned home, I had the experience of working in a Private Clinic here in Bamenda then afterwards when I went for specialisation in Kenya and came back, the Cameroonian Government could not employ a certain caliber of Health Personnel at the time. A specialist like me could not remain unemployed or work for somebody else so that's how the notion of starting up Family Foundation Clinic and Maternity came about. Incidentally, this day the 8th of November 2019 makes this Clinic 26 years of age. That's what pushed me into it since Government could not employ me at that time.

What are the specific health facilities offered at Family Foundation Clinic and Maternity?

Basically we offer General Medical Consultations, Pediatric Consultation, Specialist Gynaecology and Obstetrics Consultations. Then we also go ahead and do a lot of wide range of Laboratory Tests, Ultrasonography and X-rays. 

Do you also run a maternity?

We also offer Antenatal Services and a maternity. We conduct deliveries and carry out operations, both Obstetric and Gynaecological Operations and some Minor General Surgical Operations like Apendisectomis among others. 

Where do the needy find you?

We are located in Bamenda. The easiest way to get to us is to first get to the popular Hospital Round About. From there you follow the road going to Bali. As you move up, you will stop at the Azire Presbyterian Church on your right. Directly opposite this church is the entrance to Atuakom. As you follow this entrance, the second storey building on your left is where the clinic is located. 

You have been practicing for 26 years in Cameroon. What can you say have been the most challenging experiences in your career?

The most challenging thing I should say has been economics, finances. This means that patients come and are sick but it’s usually challenging for them to go through the various tests and examinations necessary for them to get treated. However we try to live within the society. Sometimes we give some discounts so as to permit patients go through their treatments so that they go home better and healthier than they came. Otherwise professionally we just have the general ailments that people suffer from in Cameroon like the Malaria, Typhoid, Rheumatism, Rheumatic Fevers, Arthritis and problems of infertility especially in women.

You certainly have a message for sick Cameroonians out there?

I will advise any sick person to get to the nearest conventional health facilty and get a true diagnosis of what you are suffering from. When this line of treatment fails, then you can look for solutions elsewhere. First things first, sick people should always go first to a hospital. Don't start treating yourself at home. After diagnosis are carried out, every other thing falls in place from there. 

During this period that Cameroon has been passing through the most tumultuous period of her history how have the activities of your hospital been affected?

Tremendously. I would say our patient turn over has dropped to about 50%. This is because most of the patients who used to come from out of Bamenda do not longer do so. Those in Bamenda are constantly blocked in town because of difficulties to move for reasons related to insecurity and sometimes due to Ghost Towns. This has greatly affected us but by God's grace we are there foraging on. 

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