Doctor Dobgima Walters Pisoh, a Gynecologist obstetrician, and wife, Doctor Fotso Sandrine, a General Practitioner with the People’s Clinic have been released after spending 24hours in captivity.

They were released late on Thursday July 18th 2019 but it is not clear if a ransom was paid for their release.

Dr Pisoh and wife were abducted early on Wednesday at their residence at the Nchoubou neighbourhood in Bamenda by unidentified gunmen.
Dr Dobgima Walters Pisoh worked with the Yaounde University Teaching Hospital. He also teaches at the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University Of Bamenda.

Cases of kidnapping are reported on a daily basis in Bamenda as the crisis escalates.

A Nigerian and owner of a modern herbal clinic call AL MUBARAK’S NATURALIST CLINIC in Bamenda was kidnapped on Sunday 14th of July 2019 and held captive for 5 days while being tortured. Dr Al Mubarak, a Muslim was picked up in front of his house at Foncha street, at gun point and taken along with his vehicle to an unknown destination.

Since 2016, hospitals and health workers have been attacked in the violence in North-West Cameroon. Hospitals are deliberately being attacked or occupied, ambulances are being blocked, and medical personnel are being threatened, abducted, subjected to violence, or killed. Such acts go a long way to affect patient care as those in need of treatment are left helpless.

Cameroon has a shortage of doctors with one doctor per 50000 inhabitants instead of one doctor per 10000 inhabitants as recommended by the World Health Organization. With the current crisis, the doctor – patient ratio might get worse in the North West Region.

Medical facilities and personnel need to be respected by government forces and non-state armed groups, so that vulnerable people can continue to receive the medical care they require.

Maikem Emmanuela Manzie