Health is a fundamental right, and everyone deserves access to the medical care they need. However, the cost of surgical treatment can be an insurmountable barrier for many people. In this context, Fundación Recover's surgery campaign was carried out with the aim of supporting patients who need it most, offering them a chance to recover.

On the evening of Sunday 9 February, the campaign team, composed of two surgeons, an anaesthesiologist, an operating theatre nurse and an emergency nurse, arrived in the town of Batcham, in the department of Bamboutos in the West Region of Cameroon.

For the Fundación Recover team, the day begins with breakfast, a way to recharge their batteries before starting the long day. In fact, a free surgical medical care campaign will be carried out for five days in this part of the country. Around the table, in front of the cutlery set out for the occasion, amidst chatter and laughter, the team enjoys a relaxed moment before putting on their white coats and heading to the medical centre.

In the foyer of the health centre, some fifty patients, men and women, wait their turn. They look dejected, affected by the disease, but hopeful of regaining their health. They will have to wait a little longer, however, as the hospital's only operating theatre is being used by local staff for a caesarean section. In just 46 minutes, a 47-year-old woman gives birth to a baby girl.

Forty-seven patients have registered for the day. "We have divided them into groups of eight so that everyone can benefit from the campaign," explained Dr. Christian, head physician at the Batcham Health Centre. The large turnout of patients demonstrates the need for such initiatives.

To seize this opportunity, Jean Djiogue, a shopkeeper, had to overcome several obstacles. "I left early from the town of Bafoussam with my daughter and I am really impressed because, as soon as we arrived, the medical team took care of us immediately," he said. However, he added: "I think the duration of the campaign is insufficient. If such initiatives were extended for a longer period of time, it would help us a lot.

Like him, Corine Bantio, a 19-year-old student living in Douala, travelled 270 km - six hours - to get there. Full of anxiety, she wanders the hospital corridors as she waits her turn. Three years ago, she was diagnosed with a lump in her left breast. "I'm very hopeful that everything will go well," she said before entering the operating theatre. The next day, on 11 February, we saw her again. Despite the after-effects, she was finally free of the problem that had so distressed her.

For the organisers, the surgical campaign of the Recover Foundation was a "mission accomplished. Of the 47 patients registered, 32 were selected and 41 surgical interventions were performed, as some patients required more than one operation.

The Recover Foundation is a non-profit organisation created and registered in 2021 in Cameroon, dedicated to health cooperation. With this health campaign, it has once again given hope to vulnerable populations. In addition, it has been an opportunity to strengthen the capacities of the health staff of the centres with which it collaborates, in order to offer quality care to people with limited resources.

Each person's support, no matter how small, can make a big difference. Together, we can build a better future for those who need it most.

By Jean Julien Ebeleba Alima