By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
Cameroonians are getting access to free consultations with Indian specialists in digestive and kidney diseases, as the Cameroon Red Cross Society and India’s Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai hold a second round of joint medical clinics.
The consultations took place in Yaoundé on 25 and 26 October, followed by Douala from 27 to 28 October. They are led by Dr. Guruprasad Shetty, a specialist in general surgery and surgical gastroenterology, and Dr. Amit Langote, a nephrologist with expertise in kidney transplantation, home haemodialysis and the management of high blood pressure.
Speaking to journalists in Yaoundé, Dr. Shetty said the team came with a clear purpose: meeting the needs of patients with digestive complaints.
“We’re seeing there’s a lot of patients who require gastroenterology support,” he said. “A lot of them suffer from a lot of acid peptic disease, some of them suffer from some liver diseases also.”
The clinics covered diseases of the liver, pancreas and bile ducts, tumours of the liver and pancreas, gallstones, and conditions requiring specialist surgery. On the kidney side, doctors advised patients on preventing and monitoring chronic kidney disease, as well as managing high blood pressure.
Dr. Shetty explained that the goal was to bring care closer to people in their own communities, and that the response so far had encouraged the team to plan further clinics.
“The intent was to come and provide this service to them at a local community level,” he said. “I think it’s been a very good response and we expect to do many such more clinics in the future.”
He added that patients needing more advanced treatment could be supported in travelling to India to receive care at Apollo Hospitals.
Red Cross Secretary General, Bodiong Bombang Renault Gilles praised the Apollo hospital’s contribution and described the campaigned as a continuation of a partnership that began in 2023. He noted that more than 450 Cameroonians received free consultations that year, and said he hoped even more would come forward this time.
The collaboration dates back to July 2023, when the Cameroon Red Cross hosted three Indian physicians from Apollo’s training programme from 11 to 16 July. During that visit, the doctors delivered a conference at the Red Cross event hall and held free consultations in oncology, cardiology, and orthopaedic and spinal surgery.
