Dschang, Cameroon New DREAM centre to launch activities within weeks
In the second week of January, a DREAM delegation went to Cameroon to see to the finishing touches of works to complete the Dschang centre, in view of the imminent launch of its activities, most likely at the end of March 2008.
The construction of the centre premises has been completed. The next two months will be dedicated to refining the electricity plans and to equipping the centre and the laboratory.
Thus DREAM will open in Dschang, in the west of the country, near the Anglophone part, near the border with Nigeria, in what is a key township in a mountainous and very populated area, whose provincial capital is Bafoussam.
Implementation in this new setting of the prevention and treatment activities offered by DREAM, is possible thanks to the tried and tested collaboration with the Daughters of Charity, who will directly take care of the day-hospital, which is situated within a larger hospital structure also run by the Congregation.
The director of the future centre, Sr Laura, as well as the eight employees who will work there and two laboratory technicians, have been adequately trained in the course of recent months. The laboratory technicians in particular have gained experience in a three-month placement at the DREAM molecular biology laboratory in Conakry.
In Dschang, there is plenty of enthusiasm for the imminent launch of the centre’s activities. Both the sisters and the health workers are proud to work on this project which is geared towards protecting Africa’s future. The first patients to be treated will be pregnant women and their relatives.
In the context of its mission, the DREAM delegation also participated in meetings with leaders in the health sector, at local and well as national level, including the Health Minister.
These days also included an opportunity to meet the Justice Minister [see photo], together with those in charge of the service given in prison by the Community of Sant’Egidio in Cameroon. The Minister was informed about the conditions and problems of prisoners and about the work of the Community [see also news on the website www.santegidio.org, Official thanks for the activities of the Community in Tcholliré II prison]. The sisters, for their part, explained that DREAM can treat people with AIDS in Dschang prison. The Justice Minister expressed words of great esteem for the work of the Community and for the DREAM project.