By Elvis Tah
The authorities that 'bullied 
and threatened' Dr. James Song, physiotherapist at the Buea Provincial Hospital Annex, recently, for talking to the press about a patient, have lived up to their threats.
On Monday, January 4, Dr. Song opened his office door only to find a briefly worded termination letter slipped under the door panel.The termination letter, Ref No. 3/MPH/SWP/PDPH/BPHA/6, dated February 4 and signed by the Hospital Director, Dr. John Chuwanga, reads "The Management Committee, after deliberations on the conduct of Dr. Song, resolved to terminate the contract of temporal engagement between him and the hospital, signed on March 5, 2007.
In the said contract it is clearly stated that it is subject to review any time the management committee deems it necessary…"Dr. Song told The Post that he was summarily dismissed without a warning, while trying to help a dying patient.
"Normally, they had to warn me at least three times, give me a query letter to explain myself, before dismissal, but none of those measures were taken," said Song.He said Dr. Chuwanga and Buea Mayor, Charles Mbella Moki, were politicising an issue which is apolitical.
"These are people who claimed that I exposed the country whereas they
are the ones betraying the government because they give the impression
that in Cameroon we live like cowards, who cannot openly point out
something which is wrong for fear of victimisation.
"I never knew that by calling for help, I was going to expose some skeletons that were in the cupboard," said Dr. Song.
Song insinuates that the Social Service Fund was not properly used.
This is because, no sooner did he make a distress call than he started
facing problems with the authorities.
The medic accused Dr. Chuwanga and Mbella Moki of compromising the life of a dying patient with politics.
"When a doctor calls for solidarity for a dying, impecunious patient through the media, how does that expose the country? Does it mean that we should allow the patient to die because we want to protect our country's image?" the physiotherapist asked.
Song said thanks to his cry for help, the patient had started receiving
financial aid, by the time he was sacked, from kind-hearted people and
she was gradually convalescing.
He said presently there is no physiotherapist at the hospital to continue taking care of the patient.
"I was constantly checking on the patient. At one time the hospital authorities wanted to discharge her, but I stopped the move. I wrote on her file that my patient is not fit to be discharged," said Song.The Post met Dr. Chuwanga but he said he was too busy to comment on the issue.
The Patient
The mother of the patient, Regina Nguteh, affirmed that they have been receiving financial aid from the public."The Social Service only give us food but for medication we have had just two out of the many drugs prescribed. I have spent about FCFA 50,000 from money gotten from generous donors, to buy drugs," the woman said.
She brandished several drugs which she said she was asked to buy from the hospital pharmacy. She equally brandished two films of X-rays which cost about FCFA 8000 each.
Social Service
The head of the Social Service at the hospital, Irene Mubat, said the service handles patients based on their needs."We provide psychosocial assistance to patients. We find out if they are able to meet up with the needs of the hospital and if they cannot, we find out why because there are some patients who are temporarily needy while others can be needy for so long," Mubat said.
Mubat said the Social Service is working on secondment and funded by the Social Affairs Ministry and is managed by the administrator of the hospital. She debunked claims that the Social Service entails a lot of administrative bottlenecks."If there is a social case which is an emergency, we take action before following the case later," she said.
Concerning Nguteh's case, she said the Service gave her some
medication. She added that there has been a lot of financial support
from the public after the press broadcast her plight.
"The hospital authorities told me that after the announcement, the
family were able to buy their drugs because of funds mobilised by the
public. I think they now have enough so there is no need for our
assistance," Mubat said.
Management Committee
The Chairman of the Hospital Management Committee, Charles Mbella Moki, said the matter would not have degenerated this far if Dr. Song was willing to accept his mistake."I told him like a friend that the revelations he made to the press was unprofessional for a doctor. Dr. Song has been going around saying that I and Dr. Chuwanga have a skeleton in the cupboard.
The Management Committee is not concerned with the Social Service Fund so I have nothing to do with that," Mbella said.Meanwhile, an anonymous source from the Provincial Delegation of Public Health, says the Delegate, Dr. Martin Mafany, received a query message from Yaounde.
He later instructed the Director of the Hospital to terminate Song's contract before a particular date.
Dr Song deserves a warning and not a firing. However his crude treatment in the hands of some controversial but powerful "Bakweri" clan elements illustrates the latent tribalism and disdain of tribal-minded people in high places and their contempt for others (without connections).
Listen to Mayor Mbella Moki "I told him like a friend that the revelations he made to the press was unprofessional for a doctor. Dr. Song has been going around saying that I and Dr. Chuwanga have a skeleton in the cupboard". Here Charles Mbella Moki reveals his presumptuous role of judge and jury. This issue has nothing to do with friendship.
Then there is Dr. Martin Mafany (another controversial kinsman of Charles Mbella Moki) who heads the delegation of health. About two years ago, Dr. Mafany established a medical supplies business using his wife as owner. Dr Mafany awarded himself a 20 million FCFA contract to purchase an echography scanner for the Buea Provincial Hospital. Dr. Mafany plotted with his spouse and convinced stores accountant Mrs. Rita Tchaya to pay out in full and in advance against procurement procedures. Poor Rita, she could not dare chalenge the spouse of the mighty Delegate.
Well, the scanner was not bought! When a diligent civil servant Rev. Victor Ayuk uncovered the scandal (see http://www.postnewsline.com/2006/10/controversy_shr.html), even the SW Governor was scared to execute the file. The file reportedly vanished from the Governor’s desk, a testament to the long arms of the mafia. Guess what! The stores accountant was sacked and Rev. Ayuk’s life and job were threatened. This is what is wrong with Cameroon.
Dr Song, Mrs. Rita Tchaya and Rev. Ayuk are the peoples' heroes and victims of the mafia in Buea.
If anything Dr Mafany Martin knows he cannot legally do through his spouse what the law forbids him. In the latest incident, a fine doctor has been expediently cut down.
Dr Martin Mafany deserves a dismissal from the Civil Service for demonstrating impartiality and impeachable integrity beyond pardon. He deserves to go to Kumba and learn tolerance from my people.
Posted by: Kumbaboy | Saturday, 09 February 2008 at 08:23 AM
Dear Dr. SONG,
Keep the faith in God who is your creator. If deep in your mind you believe that what you did was to help an innocent person from suffering, then you have nothing to regret. Mbella Moki, Martin Mafany and Chuwanga are young devils trying to destroy the work of God. But you know that Satan, the master of devils, has never won a war against God. God gave you a poor temporal job in the Buea hospital to see how well you do it. Your dismisal is a way to your good and perminent job planned by God. You story has been read worldwide and guess, You miracle is on the way.
Posted by: Abdou | Sunday, 10 February 2008 at 07:31 AM
Dr Song,
Believe in miracles. The Lord used you to save the life of Regina Nguteh's child.
Go look for a job elsewhere.
It is ironical that Mbella Moki, Martin Mafany and Chuwanga will today clap for Song Rigobert in Accra after having destroyed Dr Song James in Buea.
Driven by irrational emotions, men are capable of great evil. Even crocodiles with tough skin have a soft belly. Justice shall be served.
Posted by: Tekum Mbeng | Sunday, 10 February 2008 at 09:46 AM
May the lashing of Cameroon at the African Nation Cup Finals, shatters the hope of Biya of a Constitutional Amendment. May the dissapointment breed an equivalent advantage. ALLEZ LES LIONS DU SDF.
Posted by: simplice | Sunday, 10 February 2008 at 02:14 PM
Saving life is the most important duty of a doctor, I think. Maintaining confidentiality of the patient is another duty, but saving life is superior to any other duty. Therefore, if a doctor can only save a life by breaking confidentiality, the doctor should break that confidentiality. Jeopardizing one's career to save a life is clearly something exceptional. There are not many people like this. Doctors, correct me if I am wrong.
Posted by: Ma Mary | Sunday, 10 February 2008 at 02:43 PM
Talking about opposites Rigobert Nsong is an antithesis of Dr. song...
Posted by: nanoman | Sunday, 10 February 2008 at 05:47 PM
"I told him like a friend that the revelations he made to the press was unprofessional for a doctor". Mbella, what the heck of revelations are you talking about. Do you know any aspect of whatever professionalism? Don't be silly. The life of a patient in need was at stake, a well trained medics taking an ethical and professional discission to save a life, you and some idiots exercising some devilish administrative-no-sence-of direction powers,he sort to get it to the press;you called it unprofessional. Have you ever seen the four walls of a professional school of an equivalent magnitude? You better take out that dam skeleton from your cupboard, because it is on its way and with all the Karmic forces to hunt you buddy. It will leave no stone unturn. Look, if you do not know about professionalism; the other two idiotes (CMO and so called State Prosecutor) were those who acted unprofessionaly. For you(Mbella), am sorry, you are not a professional so you never acted unprofessionally. You are just an unscrupulous victim of indiscission. For Dr Song, you should know that such situations in life make us better not bitter. Again Dr. Song you have just been invited into the Hall of Fame for dong the right thing and seeing it through.These are one of those numerous storms in life. Get your root fasten into the soil (as you just did) and before you know it , the Storm is over!!!.
Posted by: Ebot | Monday, 11 February 2008 at 12:29 AM
It is ok for Dr Song to say he spoke about his patient to get help from the public . Where i disagree with him is the extend of her issues he shared with the public. He violated the Dr- patient privacy. Also do not forget that we are from a sociaty where certain crimes against an individual such as rape puts a stigma on that innocent person. In some of our cultures they are considered "soiled", "dirty" or even made unworthy and will be discriminated against. what about her social existence, work, where does she go from here and not have people always whisper. As a doctor you need to think about peoples mental health as well. This kind of public noteriaty can also lead this lady to suicide. Did you think about that . This is a situation where a good intention goes bad.
Posted by: mpey | Tuesday, 12 February 2008 at 01:29 PM
Bless your heart, Dr. Song. Cameroon will never change. In the United States, we call people like Mayor Moki Mbella and his partners in crime, "Bureaucratic Fat Asses." They'll eventually receive their pay for such a cawardly action, from unknown sources. Keep your faith and spirit high, for redemption is around the corner.
Posted by: Fish | Wednesday, 13 February 2008 at 03:46 PM