To combat maternal, infant mortality: Orange Foundation donates health kits worth over 23 million FCFA to gov’t.

The gifts were presented to the Minister of Public Health, Dr Manaouda Malachie, by the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of Orange Cameroun who doubles as Chairperson of the Orange Foundation, Patrick Benon. This was during a ceremony in Yaounde on Friday October 4. 

The consignment comprised; two 250 health voucher for pregnant women in the North West and South West Regions as well as eight solar-powered incubators for premature babies to some selected health facilities in the country. 

According to the Chairperson Orange Foundation, Patrick Benon, the donation highlights the company’s unwavering dedication to improving maternal and child healthcare.

He said Orange Cameroun through Orange Foundation is committed to ensure all women have access to quality pre- and post-natal care. He said the same commitment goes for new-borns in the North West and South West Regions.

The Orange Foundation Board Chairperson noted that the offer aligns with the organisation’s core mission to help reduce maternal and infant mortality. 

“By working alongside the government and strategic partners, Orange Foundation aims to ensure that no woman loses her life while giving birth, and that every new-born has the opportunity to thrive,” Benon stated.

To Benon, Orange Foundation “strongly believes that every player, public or private, has a role to play in improving access to healthcare for all”. 

He expressed hope that the donation will close the gap in the most affected regions. He reiterated that Orange Cameroun is not just about the mobile telephone network or internet but equally interested in the wellbeing of the population.

500 million FCFA so far in combating maternal, infant mortality 

According to Benon, since the launch of the Orange Foundation, the telecoms company has invested over 500 million FCFA in the maternal and infant health sector. 

The investment, he said, has enabled the Foundation to make significant contributions in improving healthcare infrastructure and access to healthcare services. 

To date, the Foundation, he stated, has reached out to 25 maternity wards, providing essential medical equipment, and renovating out-dated infrastructures. Seven healthcare facilities, 

Benon disclosed that they have been equipped with water points, and three maternity wards have been electrified through solar energy.

These actions, Benon reiterated, reflect Orange Cameroun’s long-term commitment to investing in the health and well-being of Cameroon’s population.

Digital innovation in healthcare

Beyond healthcare infrastructure initiatives, Benon said, Orange Cameroun has been actively involved in supporting the digital transformation of the healthcare sector, a priority for the Ministry of Public Health. 

One of the pioneering initiatives, he recounted was in 2016, when Orange partnered with the start-up, Gifted Mom to develop a platform using Unstructured Supplementary Service Data, USSD codes and a dedicated app.

The platform, he said, provides pre-natal and post-natal appointment reminders, healthcare facility locations, and access to online consultations with doctors.

The success of the initiative, he stated, has paved the way for more innovations, notably with the establishment of the Orange Digital Centre in 2020. 

Benon remarked that the Centre now serves as a hub for digital skills training and a start-up accelerator. As part of its healthcare focus, the Centre, Benon said, evaluates over 40 health-related digital projects annually through competitions and challenges.

Orange Cameroun’s support for innovative start-ups

Through its various initiatives, Orange Cameroun, he said, has also supported innovative start-ups in the healthcare space with three of them already awarded for ground-breaking contributions.

These start-ups, the Orange Cameroun CEO said, include: AUI Techno. The start-up he said was able to develop an interactive, autonomous, and connected neonatal incubator that allows remote monitoring of new-borns by medical teams.

“This same incubator is now being distributed to healthcare facilities across the country,” Benon said.

He went further to note that another start-up that has been rewarded is WASPITO. Benon described WASPITO as a telemedicine app which provides access to basic healthcare services for anyone with an internet connection and a smartphone. He said the platform also allows users to consult medical professionals remotely.

The third start-up, he said, was Oui Care, which offers a digital health record that connects patients with doctors 24/7, facilitating efficient follow-up care and access to health information.

Orange Foundation’s future initiatives

According to Benon, the Orange Foundation will continue to support the fight against maternal and infant health.

He announced that in the coming weeks, Orange Foundation will donate specialized equipment valued at over 20 million FCFA to maternities at the Nkwen District Hospital in Bamenda and the Naka Integrated Health Centre in Bali all in the North West Region. 

Through these initiatives, Orange Cameroun and its foundation, he added, are playing a crucial role in supporting the government's efforts to ensure the effectiveness of the Universal Health Coverage, with a particular focus on mothers and children

Enter Orange Foundation scribe

To the Secretary General of Orange Foundation, Elisabeth A. Mabom, noted that the specificities of the incubators are that, it is solar-powered, and can equally function with electricity.

This, she said, will mean that everywhere the incubators will be installed, even with poor electricity supply or power failures, they can continue to function. This, Mabom said, will ensure premature babies covered inside can continue to benefit from the needed energy.

On the 500 health vouchers for expecting mothers in the North West and South West Regions, Mabom said, the goal is “to help these women who have become very vulnerable to give birth in optimal conditions”.

She furthered that: “The health voucher system enables the woman with just 6000 FCFA to have access to a whole range of health services from antenatal consultations to delivery even with complications”.

Minister Manaouda lauds Orange Foundation

Minister Manaouda expressed profound gratitude to Orange Cameroun through it foundation for answering to the call of government and for the donation. He said the donation is timely.

The member of government noted that the equipment comes at a crucial time when health facilities in the North West and South West Regions face significant challenges.

The minister reiterated government’s commitment in combating maternal and infant mortality. This, he said, remains a priority for the government, as it is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs set by the United Nations and spearheaded in the country by the Head of State.

“We must ensure that every pregnant woman and new-born can access quality healthcare, regardless of where they are,” the minister said, adding that: “The solar incubators, in particular, will save lives in areas with limited electricity access. This will help ensure that premature babies or those with complications receive the necessary care”.

The 500 health vouchers, the minister reiterated, are valid in healthcare facilities in the North West and South West Regions.

These vouchers, he said, will cover a range of services, from pre-natal consultations to deliveries, including caesarean sections, and postnatal care for mothers and their babies. 

“Thanks to these health vouchers, many women will receive free care, which is a great relief for the vulnerable populations in these regions,” the minister added.

Commenting on the eight solar-power incubators, the health minister noted that it will be installed in maternity wards identified by the ministry and in areas where there is lack of infrastructure. 

“These devices will help sustain critically ill new-borns while providing a sustainable solution to the energy supply issues in these often remote regions,” he said.

Calls on other private companies to copy example

Minister Manaouda equally called on other private companies to copy the example of Orange Cameroun through it Foundation to donate to the vulnerable population. The health sector, the minister said, has many pressing needs. 

“This is just the right moment to call on other private companies to copy the example. The Universal Health Coverage launched last year has been producing results and the population has been touched and we believe that if we had your assistance as well as other partners, we could go further and touch a wider range of the population,” Minister Manaouda said.

He equally encouraged Orange Foundation to get involved in the different health campaigns carried out by the ministry to further reach more compatriots.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3252 of Monday October 07, 2024