Bamenda, NW Region:

Kidnapped Medical Doctors, Tradi-practitioner Freed
Doctor Dobgima Walters Pisoh, a Gynecologist/obstetrician, and his wife, Doctor Fotso Sandrine, a General Practitioner, were released after spending 24 hours in captivity. 
By Maikem Emmanuela Manzie in Bamenda

Dr. Dobgima Walters Pisoh and his wife

They were released late on Thursday 18 July. It is however not clear if a ransom was paid for their release.
    Dr Pisoh and wife were abducted early on Wednesday, at their residence at the Nchoubou neighbourhood in Bamenda, by unidentified gunmen.
    Dr Pisoh works at the Yaounde University Teaching Hospital. He also teaches at the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University Of Bamenda.

    Cases of kidnapping are reported on a daily basis in Bamenda as the crisis escalates.
    A Nigerian and owner of a modern herbal clinic - AL MUBARAK'S NATURALIST CLINIC in Bamenda was kidnapped on Sunday 14 July and held captive for 5 days while being tortured.
    Dr Al Mubarak, a Muslim, was picked up in front of his house at Foncha street, at gun point, and driven in his own vehicle to an unknown destination.
    Since 2016 health facilities and their workers have been attacked in the violence in North-West and SW Cameroon. Hospitals are deliberately being attacked or occupied, ambulances are being blocked, and medical personnel are being threatened, abducted, subjected to violence, or killed. Such acts go a long way to affect patient care as those in need of treatment are left helpless. Cameroon has a shortage of doctors with one doctor per 50000 inhabitants instead of one doctor per 10000 inhabitants as recommended by the World Health Organization. With the current crisis, the doctor – patient ratio might get worse in the North West Region.
    Medical facilities and personnel need to be respected by government forces and non-state armed groups, so that vulnerable people can continue to receive the medical care they require.