CBC Health Services celebrates life of Dr Thomas Koester Welty.

The ceremony was attended by clergy, dignitaries, partners, health officials and friends from all over the country. 

Speakers at the event recalled Dr Welty’s passion for humanity and enormous contribution to the work of the CBCHS and public health in Cameroon.  The Director of CBCHS, Samuel Ngum, said Dr Welty was an extraordinary public health physician, symbol of hope, relentless advocate, and a compassionate healer. 

He remembered the deceased dedicated service to communities with limited resources. Ngum said Dr Welty will be remembered for staying resilient in the face of adversity. 

“Dr. Tom Welty was not only a caregiver but also a teacher, mentor, and leader. He empowered local health workers, shared knowledge generously, and inspired others to overcome challenges,” Ngum stated.

CBCHS to continue Welty mission

The Director assured the population that the CBCHS “will honour the memory” of Dr Welty “by continuing his mission, staying committed to public health, clinical care, and research, especially where the needs are greatest”.

Beyond clinic walls, Ngum remarked that Dr Welty worked tirelessly to improve the lives and well-being of women through the Women's Health program. 

He also said the late physician championed and advocated vaccination for young girls against HPV, fought against preventable diseases, and raised awareness on the rights and dignity of every individual. 

“The seeds he planted will continue to grow in the communities we serve and beyond, the colleagues he inspired, and the countless lives he touched. The Institutional Review Board which he worked to establish on a solid foundation, now oversees research integrity and promotes sound, ethical research,” the Director stated.

Ngum announced that the Health Services Complex, children's hospital and cancer center, will now be known as the Thomas Welty Cancer Center.

How Dr Welty came to Cameroon 

According to the former Director of CBCHS, Prof Tih Pius Muffih, he first met Dr Welty in the United States in 1997. Prof Tih disclosed that during their first meeting, “…he asked me a question if as director of health services, I will like to invite him to Cameroon”, given that he was already on retirement from the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, CDC.

He added that in 1998 Dr Welty came to Cameroon and since made a wonderful difference in the health landscape in the country. Prof Tih said “he supported programmes financially, clinically and many lives have been saved through his services here in Cameroon”.

Prof Tih recalled that Dr Welty initiated several programmes that improved healthcare in Cameroon.

My life changed after meeting Dr Welty

Speaking to the press, Bertrand Bafon, a visually impaired person said Dr Welty changed his life. 

“I became blind since when I was 14 and I lost interest in education. I taught life was going to come to an end but immediately I was introduced to Dr Welty family, a lot changed for me,” Bafon stated, adding that he was educated right up to university thanks to the deceased.

Bafon also revealed that Dr Welty facilitated his insertion in to the professional life as a teacher in the country’s public service.

Additionally, Bafon said he worked with Dr Welty to develop a programme that supported visually impaired learners across the country.

Life of Dr Thomas Welty

Dr. Thomas Koester Welty was born on November 7, 1943, in the United States. He went to the College of Wooster from 1961-65, and majored in Chemistry. From there, he went to the University of Pittsburgh from 1965-69 where he read medicine.

He started his professional career in 1968 at the Indian Health Service and was later commissioned to the US Health Service.  Dr Welty rose through the ranks and retired in 1997.

During his retirement, Dr Welty and his wife spent six weeks once or twice a year in Cameroon, working to educate local healthcare workers on reducing the trans-mission of HIV/AIDS.

In November 2024, he and his wife Edie Welty, helped to build the first children's hospital in all of Western Africa. He and his family are also said to have worked across and several African countries. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3629 of Wednesday November 19, 2025