History of the origins of the Ambam Ophtalmology Center

With financial support from the association Augenhilfe Afrika and the Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung, both non-profit organizations from Germany, the new Ambam Ophthalmology Center is being built in Ambam in the Sud region.

The architect’s planning

The laying of the foundation stone takes place on February 24, 2020 as part of a ceremony organized by Dr. Cheuteu. Officially, the Prefect of Ambam Bouba Haman, Sub-Prefect Yanick Antoine Mveng Ndongo and the traditional ruler of Akoulouzok, His Majesty Alfred Aba´a Aba´a, take part. The German embassy in Cameroon is represented by military attaché Lieutenant Colonel Fritz Dollwet, and Augenhilfe Afrika by board member Max Heinrichs.

Address by Dr. Raoul Cheuteu laying the foundation stone

The guests of honor

The foundation stone is laid.

In his address, Dr. Cheuteu thanks the many supporters of the project and expresses his hope that the new eye clinic in Ambam will become a model for expanding access to high quality health care in Central Africa. And not only to combat eye diseases, but also to reduce maternal, newborn and child mortality.

Construction work begins immediately after the foundation stone has been laid. The construction pit as well as the foundation and line trenches are dug to the required depth and the building blocks required for the building are produced on site. The structure will gradually grow in height over the next few months.

The required stones are produced on site.

Status of construction work in March …

… and in May

By mid-September 2020, the construction work is well advanced and the interior work is in full swing. Tile layers, painters, joiners, plumbers and electricians practically give each other the handle. The new clinic is rapidly approaching completion. The last step is the planting of the entrance area and the paving of the access paths.

The interior work is progressing quickly.

The external work is in full swing.

The new clinic shortly before the opening

The operating room

The team – only Prof. Dr. Kagmeni unfortunately is missing from the photo.

In the larger part of the building of the new eye clinic, the reception, the examination rooms, the optician’s area and a small kitchen are housed, and the anesthesia and operating rooms in the smaller part, which is deliberately separated. This is because visitors or patients not intended for an operation should be consistently kept out of the operating theater area. Modern toilets and washrooms for patients, visitors and staff are installed in both parts of the building.

The time finally comes in the second week of March 2021. The new eye clinic in Ambam is opened and put into operation after almost exactly one year of construction. Clinic boss MTA Anthony Akpeny and his team are permanently on site in Ambam. The two ophthalmologists Dr. Raoul Cheuteu and Prof. Dr. Giles Kagmeni travel regularly from Yaoundé and carry out the upcoming operations.

In May 2021, Dr. Raoul Cheuteu suffers from Covid 19 and has been out for months. Thus, Prof. Dr. Giles Kagmeni performed the first 19 cataract surgeries at the new eye clinic in Ambam on June 11th alone and without the support of his colleague. So he acts as both an anesthesiologist and a surgeon on this special day and due to his vast experience he leads all surgeries to success.

Patients are waiting for their examination.

Before the operation

Dr. Raoul Cheuteu is operating in the new clinic for the first time.

Prof. Dr. Giles Kagmeni in the operating room

Recently operated patients (1)

Recently operated patients (2)

In southern Cameroon, the new clinic in Ambam is the only point of contact for blind and visually impaired people. The catchment area is not limited to southern Cameroon, but also extends to neighboring Equatorial Guinea and the northern parts of Gabon.