Healing Cameroon One Patient at a Time

Cameroon-based visceral surgeon Dr. Georges Bwelle works at Yaoundé Central Hospital. Bwelle began his medical career in the year 1990 at Yaoundé Teaching Hospital as a medical student and graduated five years later. His excellent performance earned him a scholarship to Belgium where he learned visceral surgery for a short time. Later, he came back to his country to work for his fellow countrymen.
His love of being a doctor and a surgeon came from the advice given to him by his father and the vision shared by both of them to help people. He recounts how his father became ill and he often accompanied him to the hospital when he needed medical treatment. His father inspired him to take care of people who have no means of seeing a specialist.

Georges eventually came up with ASCOVIME; an organization that focuses on improving people’s lives. The ASCOVIME team operates on weekends, visiting various districts in Cameroon where good health services are uncommon and extremely expensive. They offer free health services, including surgery and medication. The team has grown into a large group of numerous volunteers every year from various countries. In the early stages, Georges had to support the organization on his own. At first, his friends volunteered to donate their cars. In time, he was able to recruit more volunteers, providing fuel, and that made things easier.

Georges also teaches in a medical school. Although the organization is doing well, there are many challenges the team faces while in medical camps such as power outages which are a major hindrance in rural areas of Cameroon. They often use flashlights or generators.

After all the medical campaigns, the ASCOVIME team provides the kids they meet in the villages with learning materials and supplies such as books and pens. ASCOVIME has presented Georges’s vision to the world and given it global recognition. In 2013, he was named a CNN Hero and he continues to touch lives and bring a smile to the faces of people he meets.