Stepping into another person’s shoes – opinion

Interview with health care employee Jeanne Clarisse Mengue from Nnom Nnam, Cameroon

June 7, 2024

Local health care providers are sometimes the most effective – and only – source of data for people living in rural and distant areas. Support for local medical experts contributes to constructing strong and resilient health systems that may reach more individuals with lifesaving health care.

As of 2020, the Global Fund has invested over $1.5 billion in community medical experts in over 100 countries, and can invest $900 million more over the following three years.

We check with local healthcare staff in regards to the challenges and impact of their vital work.

I used to be 27 years old when I made a decision to turn out to be a healthcare skilled. When I used to be younger, I got sick and almost died. And it affected my family quite a bit. When I used to be a little bit older, a pacesetter in my community organized an area health training event and I jumped at the chance. I committed to it, body and soul.

For me it isn’t just work. It became a passion. I’ve turn out to be really committed to educating people to assist them realize that these diseases could make you and your loved ones sick, that they will harm you, and which you can protect yourself.

I’m a medical expert within the Nkolbisson district and the Shemka Foundation in Yaoundé, Cameroon. We go door to door in the sphere to attach with our people, to attach with our communities. We see the issues the community is facing. We then have educational conversations based on what we discover.

For example, once I come to a community and I hear that children do not know learn how to avoid malaria, I tell them how they will protect themselves.

But we’re not only there due to malaria. We provide HIV, TB and other varieties of care. We help moms who need to vaccinate their children. We provide them with advice on breastfeeding and family planning. We teach them learn how to properly install a mosquito net.

And I make house calls. Home visits allow us to attach with family. We see what the household goes through so we’re higher capable of provide advice. I do not give advice blindly.

We also conduct disease and epidemiological surveillance – e.g. we track the variety of cases of yellow fever, cholera and measles. We really have a variety of responsibilities.

My work is in the sphere and I work to lift public awareness. This is actually our role as health care professionals. Take malaria for instance: we help people realize that malaria is a disease attributable to a mosquito bite that causes fever and pain. We make them aware of this and take a look at to maintain people healthy.

Healthcare professionals should be good listeners – we hearken to our patients. We will need to have good character, be empathetic and know learn how to put ourselves in the opposite person’s shoes.

It’s not all the time easy. Sometimes the primary contact with family doesn’t work. You try a second time, you are trying a 3rd time, until the home accepts you. And after they do, you hearken to them. You put yourself of their shoes. From here you may higher advise.

I also draw from my personal experiences and tell people about what I experienced. This helps them trust me.

First of all, we serve large areas and traveling long distances may be difficult. Besides, there aren’t enough of us. Sometimes our payment is delayed or we do not receive it in any respect. Running out of supplies can also be an enormous problem – sometimes we’re asked to purchase medicines ourselves.

We also need visibility and legal recognition. As a healthcare employee, I’m truly vulnerable because I even have no contract or cover to guard me. That’s why I work at midnight.

It’s really essential to us that we receives a commission and have our work recognized and have legal protection.

In addition to my role as an area health care skilled, I strive to be a powerful voice for the interests of my community. I’m involved in programs similar to Voix de la Lutte Impact Santé Afrique (ISA) – and I would like to thank ISA for its continued support. Through ISA, I would like to achieve individuals who have the ability to make decisions.

Vulnerable families in our communities really want help. If they haven’t got local medical experts, what is going to their future be? How will they cope?

A baby died in my community. We explained to the mother that it was malaria, but by the point the infant was taken to hospital for treatment, it was too late. It touched me very much – I felt really sad.

But there are also comfortable stories. Sometimes children recognize me once I walk down the road: “Hey, my aunt came to take care of me.” And moms see me and say, “Since you’ve been here, my child is starting to talk,” or “My child will learn.” Because we’re not only talking about disease – we’re talking about humanity.

What makes me comfortable and makes me realize that we have now an impact is that sooner or later people start to vary. They take motion; they alter their behavior.

They know what to do when a baby gets sick. The very first thing they do is call us.

Thank you very much Impact Santé Afrique.