Mission to CAMEROON – November 2023
On the 27th of November 2023, a five member team of “Heart Doctors” departed with Egypt Air to Chad with overnight stay in Cairo. The next day they arrived in N’Djamena where they started their trip by car to Bongor. After six endless hours of rough road they reached the borders where they crossed the river to the town Yangoua of Cameroon. Then they continued driving for two hours in the night and they managed to reach the final destination, Katrang village.
The purpose of the mission was to offer free medical care, food for the residents of the rural area and the inauguration of a primary school.
For the next five days, a large amount of the population, mainly women and children, gathered from very early in the morning, before dawn, in order to be examined.
The medical services took place at the premises of the church of Saint Apostles.
Due to heavy drought in the region, during this period, “Heart Doctors” team offered corn to 100 needy poor families as well as powdered milk to infants whose mothers were unable to breastfeed.
In the afternoon hours, of several days, food was distributed to 50 small children, the same that was prepared for the team once a day in the early evening hours, which the children enjoyed very much.
On the 2nd of December, “Heart Doctors” team inaugurated the building of the new primary school for 120 students. The ceremony was performed by the priest of the area. Moreover, the teachers and the students were wearing white blouses and school backpacks including pencils, erasers, scrapers and notebooks. All sponsored by “Heart Doctors” team.
Later on, everybody who was present sang the National Anthem of Cameroon. The President of the village, the Headmaster of the school and the donor of the plot shared few words with the crowd. The vice president of “Heart Doctors” team Mrs. Eleni Sotiriou, thanked everyone who worked together in order for the school to be completed.
Main diseases:
Malaria, anemia mainly in children, gastroenteritis, arthralgia, skin problems, urinary tract infections, bilharziosis (Snail fever with symptoms from hematuria due to the parasite “schistosomes” form stagnant water), eye problems, malnutrition, osteomyelitis, hypertension, epilepsy, and diabetes.
On the 6th of December, the members traveled back from N’Djamena through Cairo to Athens.
