Conflict, healthcare and professional perseverance: A qualitative study in a remote hospital in an Anglophone Region of Cameroon

Abstract

Armed conflicts are a major contributor to global disease burden owing to their deleterious effects on health and healthcare delivery. The Anglophone crisis in Cameroon is one of the ongoing conflicts in Sub-Saharan Africa and has led to massive displacement of healthcare workers (HCWs). However, some HCWs have stayed back and continued working. An understanding of their experiences, perspectives and professional perseverance is lacking. We designed a phenomenological study using Focused Group Discussions (FGDs) and in-depth interviews to: understand the experiences of 12 HCWs in a remote hospital in the North West region of Cameroon with armed groups; evaluate how it affects healthcare delivery from HCWs perspective and examine HCWs coping mechanisms during the conflict with a view of informing HCW protection policies in conflict zones. Results revealed that HCWs go through all forms of violence including threats, assaults and murders. Overall insecurity and shortage of health personnel were major barriers to healthcare delivery which contributed to underutilization of healthcare services. Participants observed an increase in complications due to malaria, malnutrition and a rise in maternal and infant mortality. The hospital management and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) played an essential role in HCWs adaptation to the crisis. Nevertheless they unanimously advocated for a cease fire to end the conflict. In the meantime, passion for their job was the main motivating factor to stay at work.

Political Instability and Hiv/aids Response in the South West and North West Region of Cameroon: a Qualitative Study

“…Again, similar to our observations, studies on the effects of armed con icts on population health also supported the concept of HCWs as speci cally marked elements by armed groups (32). In fact, one Cameroonian study investigating the experiences of 12 HCWs in a remote hospital in the North West region of Cameroon with armed groups, suggested the same theme (33). To emphasize the dire effect of this reality, an observational research in Cameroon actually estimated a total of 11 HCWs killed since the onset of the con ict (34).…”

Political instability and hiv/aids response in the south west and north west regions of Cameroon: a qualitative study

“…Again, similar to our observations, studies on the effects of armed conflicts on population health also supported the concept of HCWs as specifically marked elements by armed groups [ 37 ]. In fact, one Cameroonian study investigating the experiences of 12 HCWs in a remote hospital in the North West region of Cameroon with armed groups, suggested the same theme [ 7 ]. To emphasize the dire effect of this reality, an observational research in Cameroon actually estimated a total of 11 HCWs killed since the onset of the conflict [ 10 ].…”

“…The two affected regions are home to some 68,678 persons living with HIV [ 3 ]. With the emergence of the political unrest in the setting, there now seem to be a new context for the person-centered adaptation of HIV care services [ 4 – 7 ].…”

Rotavirus vaccination coverage before and during the covid-19 pandemic in Fako division, Cameroon

“…The Anglophone crisis in Cameroon which started in 2016 as a small protest degenerated to a full-blown armed conflict between separatists and the government, with far reaching effects especially on the healthcare system [21]. We sought to find out if the general low trend in vaccine coverage during COVID-19 held true for Fako Division of Cameroon, particularly for Rotavirus, a relatively new vaccine and in the face of a sociopolitical war.…”