Cameroon: Buea surgeons to embark on indefinite strike action today

The agitated surgeons say they will not carry out any surgeries except for emergencies until the regressive and corrupt Director of the Buea Regional hospital, Dr Enow Orock is replaced. After condoling with his excesses for close to three years, Surgeons of the Regional Hospital Annex, Buea have announced that from today Monday 19 December, 2016 they will down tools until the overzealous and repressive Director, Dr Enow Orock George is replaced.

In a strongly worded letter sent to the Minister of Public Health, a copy of which this reporter stumbled on, the surgeons from the Department of Surgery of the Buea Regional Hospital cried out that for the past three years the hospital director has “embarked on various policies not beneficial to the hospital, hospital staff, patients or Cameroonians as a whole.” The surgeons whose role in a hospital establishment cannot be over emphasized recounted that “the said director has perpetually ensured that the cost of laboratory tests, drugs, hospital bed fee among others is on the increase.  

The hospital environment is continuously untidy and filthy with overgrown grass and weeds as well as a foul smell emanating from overfull septic tanks.” The experts task with performing operations in order to remove or repair damaged or diseased body parts in their letter sent to Andre Mama Fouda, Minister of Public Health pointed out that “consumables especially in the operation theater such as gases used for anesthesia are in continuous shortage” while “he collects money from his patients and his secretary’s office for reading histo-pathological slides.” On behalf of his fellow colleges, the secretary at the department of Surgeons, Dr Enoh N. Kingsley who penned the letter stated that “the director, apart from his repressive policies that have put the hospital backward and in a deplorable condition, is aggressively money-minded to the detriment of patients and hospital staff.” The letter which was sent through South West Regional Delegate of Public Health equally highlighted the fact that the hospital staff has little or no benefit at all from the pregnant sums of money pumped in annually by PBF and institutions sending their students to the hospital for internship.

While painting a bleak picture of Dr Orock’s managerial style, the surgeons in clearly spelt out words announced that “our hearts are bleeding to the extent that we have no choice but to regrettably embark on an indefinite strike (for the sake of patients and the general population) effective from Monday 19 December, 2016 by not carrying out any surgeries except for emergencies until the very regressive director, Dr Enow-Orock George is replaced by a more experienced and considerate administrator.” A part of the letter read.

Contacted to comment on the allegations on his management style, Dr Enow Orock George said " I have no comments on that if anyone has anything on me he should address it to my boss "