AMERICAN DV 2014 LOTTERY GONE SOUR FOR ABOUT 44,000 PEOPLE!

The US State Department has sprung an unprecedented surprise to some selectees of the DV 2014 Lottery! Out of the 125,000 people randomly selected worldwide in May 2013, only about three - quarter of them have had a chance to appear before a consular officer for a visa interview. Over 44,000 people will never have a visa appointment! The cut – off number for Africa is 81,100 for September which is the last month of the 2014 fiscal year. This therefore means that selectees with case numbers above 2014AF00081100 have had their American dreams dashed to the wall – they will never have a chance to migrate to the USA under the DV2014 program! At an era that bushfalling is en vogue and Hidden Aid from the diaspora plays a vital role, this is very devastating to some families!

Many selectees have been caught up in make – shift plans. Liza dropped plans to travel to Asia on a scholarship last year because she had won the American Lottery and wanted to focus on it due to limited finances to pursue two costly programs concurrently. Today, she can neither get back the scholarship nor travel to the USA on a DV2014 ticket. Ali who had the advanced level last year decided to go hustling to raise money for his eventual immigration to the USA. Today, as the news broke, he was inconsolable – he had missed out on the registration for some competitive entrance examinations on a second year running because he had greater ambitions! Christy, who is now 3 months pregnant had reached that decision to get pregnant because her new lower – class boyfriend had been selected in the DV2014 lottery. They both abandoned their university studies to prepare themselves for a new level in life in America. But they now all have to deal with the adversities right here in Cameroon!

Quizzed on what prompted the unprecedented cut – off and on whether there is any rationale to select 125,000 people to end up giving a visa appointment only to 81,100 of them, and also whether DV2015 might follow the same trend, a visa officer for the US State Department had this to say; “There has been a greater than usual number of applicants for DV 2014. We do not have sufficient numbers of visas for all DV selectees. We usually select more than 50,000 people because many applicants do not complete the process; however, we are obliged by law to only issue 50,000 visas. Accordingly, once we issue the number allowed by law, we cannot issue additional visas even to people that may have been selected as eligible to apply for the DV. Please check back in September to see if you can apply for DV 2016, and please apply as early as possible if you are eligible. DV2015 is likely to follow the same trend but those who complete the DS260 online form early in time have an advantage”

This devastation brings back memories of DV2012, when for the very first time, the State Department decided to cancel the random selection for that year and run another one after 22,000 selectees already checked their electronic status online! The cancellation at the time was provoked by a computer glitch that rendered the selection process not strictly random as required by law. The 22,000 selectees dragged the US State Department to court but they lost the legal battle.

Akaba Ajitum

Honeymoon Voyages & Open Dreams

Ajito is based in Douala, Littoral, Cameroon, and is a Stringer on Allvoices

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Tips on Ebola Virus: WHO Breaks the Silence

In Africa, fruit bats, particularly species of the genera Hypsignathus monstrosus, Epomops franqueti and Myonycteris torquata, are considered possible natural hosts for Ebola virus. As a result, the geographic distribution of Ebolaviruses may overlap with the range of the fruit bats.

Ebola virus in animals
Although non-human primates have been a source of infection for humans, they are not thought to be the reservoir but rather an accidental host like human beings. Since 1994, Ebola outbreaks from the EBOV and TAFV species have been observed in chimpanzees and gorillas.
RESTV has caused severe EVD outbreaks in macaque monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) farmed in Philippines and detected in monkeys imported into the USA in 1989, 1990 and 1996, and in monkeys imported to Italy from Philippines in 1992.
Since 2008, RESTV viruses have been detected during several outbreaks of a deadly disease in pigs in People's Republic of China and Philippines. Asymptomatic infection in pigs has been reported and experimental inoculations have shown that RESTV cannot cause disease in pigs.

Prevention and control
Controlling Reston ebolavirus in domestic animals. No animal vaccine against RESTV is available. Routine cleaning and disinfection of pig or monkey farms (with sodium hypochlorite or other detergents) should be effective in inactivating the virus.
If an outbreak is suspected, the premises should be quarantined immediately. Culling of infected animals, with close supervision of burial or incineration of carcasses, may be necessary to reduce the risk of animal-to-human transmission. Restricting or banning the movement of animals from infected farms to other areas can reduce the spread of the disease.
As RESTV outbreaks in pigs and monkeys have preceded human infections, the  establishment of an active animal health surveillance system to detect new cases is essential in providing early warning for veterinary and human public health authorities.

Reducing the risk of Ebola infection in people
In the absence of effective treatment and a human vaccine, raising awareness of the risk factors for Ebola infection and the protective measures individuals can take is the only way to reduce human infection and death.
In Africa, during EVD outbreaks, educational public health messages for risk reduction should focus on several factors:
Reducing the risk of wildlife-to-human transmission from contact with infected fruit bats or monkeys/apes and the consumption of their raw meat. Animals should be handled with gloves and other appropriate protective clothing. Animal products (blood and meat) should be thoroughly cooked before consumption.
Reducing the risk of human-to-human transmission in the community arising from direct or close contact with infected patients, particularly with their bodily fluids. Close physical contact with Ebola patients should be avoided. Gloves and appropriate personal protective equipment should be worn when taking care of ill patients at home. Regular hand washing is required after visiting patients in hospital, as well as after taking care of patients at home.
Communities affected by Ebola should inform the population about the nature of the disease and about outbreak containment measures, including burial of the dead. People who have died from Ebola should be promptly and safely buried.
Pig farms in Africa can play a role in the amplification of infection because of the presence of fruit bats on these farms. Appropriate biosecurity measures should be in place to limit transmission. For RESTV, educational public health messages should focus on reducing the risk of pig-to-human transmission as a result of unsafe animal
husbandry and slaughtering practices, and unsafe consumption of fresh blood, raw milk or animal tissue. Gloves and other appropriate protective clothing should be worn when handling sick animals or their tissues and when slaughtering animals. In regions where RESTV has been reported in pigs, all animal products (blood, meat and milk) should be
thoroughly cooked before eating.

Controlling infection in health-care settings
Human-to-human transmission of the Ebola virus is primarily associated with direct or indirect contact with blood and body fluids. Transmission to health-care workers has been reported when appropriate infection control measures have not been observed.
It is not always possible to identify patients with EBV early because  initial symptoms may be non-specific. For this reason, it is important that health-care workers apply standard precautions consistently with all patients - regardless of their diagnosis - in all work practices at all times. These include basic hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene,
the use of personal protective equipment (according to the risk of splashes or other contact with infected materials), safe injection practices and safe burial practices.
Health-care workers caring for patients with suspected or confirmed Ebola virus should apply, in addition to standard precautions, other infection control measures to avoid any exposure to the patient's blood and body fluids and direct unprotected contact with the possibly contaminated environment. When in close contact (within 1 metre) of patients with EBV, health-care workers should wear face protection (a face shield or a medical mask and goggles), a clean, non-sterile long-sleeved gown, and gloves (sterile gloves for some procedures).
Laboratory workers are also at risk. Samples taken from suspected human and animal Ebola cases for diagnosis should be handled by trained staff and processed in suitably equipped laboratories.

WHO response
WHO provides expertise and documentation to support disease investigation and control.
Recommendations for infection control while providing care to patients with suspected or confirmed Ebola haemorrhagic fever are provided in: Interim infection control recommendations for care of patients with suspected or confirmed Filovirus (Ebola, Marburg) haemorrhagic fever, March 2008. This document is currently being updated.
WHO has created an aide-memoire on standard precautions in health care (currently being updated). Standard precautions are meant to reduce the risk of transmission of bloodborne and other pathogens. If universally applied, the precautions would help prevent most transmission through exposure to blood and body fluids.
Standard precautions are recommended in the care and treatment of all patients regardless of their perceived or confirmed infectious status. They include the basic level of infection control--hand hygiene, use of personal protective equipment to avoid direct contact with blood and body fluids, prevention of needle stick and injuries from other sharp instruments, and a set of environmental controls.

 

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Euphoria at The Eye 7th Anniversary (Ceremony in Pics One)

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

At 7th Anniversary: Hundreds Join The Eye Launch "A Clean Community Program" (Event in Pics One)

At 7th Anniversary Hundreds Join The Eye Newspaper to Launch "A Clean Community Program". We say Thank You to Our Donors Yaah Patience Tamfu (who donated 5 wheelbarrows), Juliette Schlegl Fotsing (who donated 1 wheelbarrow and 5 spades) Dr. Nick Ngwanyam (who donated 1 wheelbarrow), Mafor Achidi Achu (who donated 10 spades, 10 cutlasses), Chronicle Newspaper (CEO Eric Motumo who donated 5 cutlasses and 3 spades) and Blue Pearl Hotel in Bamenda (Director Halle Augustine who donated large umbrellas). The first beneficiaries of this program which seeks to encourage and stimulate hygiene,  and sanitation in villages were The Fon of Nkambe, Fon of Mbot, Fon of Kungi, Fon of Nkanchi (Misaje), Fon of Ngouluh, Fon of Ngom(Sabongari), Cameroon National Youth Council Donga Mantung, Ndi Ephiciance Fai (Best Young Farmer) Chofe Violet (Best farmer).
The basic tools were handed to the beneficiaries by the 1st Assistant SDO for Donga Mantung Division, representing the SDO.
 Coming up next: More on "A Clean Community Program

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

At Civic Reception: Senator Jikong Donates to Nkambe, Misaje Councils

 

Prof. Jikong Stephen addressing Nkambe Council councilors

The Senator for Donga Mantung Division,  Jikong Stephen Yeriwa has donated the sum of FCFA 2 million to the Nkambe and Misaje councils to revamp the old day’s scholarship fund that used to be the pride of the councils. Speaking to councilors in Nkambe and Misaje, Senator Jikong said that the reasons why he decided to support the Nkambe and Misaje councils with the sum of FCFA 1 million each to revamp the abandoned scholarship fund in the two councils of Donga Mantung Division tie with his concept of human development. “We can only have doctors and engineers in this division if we concentrate on human development”. HRH Prof. Jikong also told the story of how some of his classmates benefited from the council scholarship fund to be what they are today yet unfortunately the fund collapsed. “We can only hope of development when our kids are taught physics and chemistry in schools” he observed. He reminded councilors that the senate is the house for the old wise people and it is not of their duty to do what government cannot do. Senator Jikong also debunked allegations that senators are paid huge allowances. “I am not the kind that organizes feasting for people to eat and dance”, he told the councilors of Nkambe and Misaje. Senator Jikong also urged the mayors of Nkambe and Misaje to write projects and submit to the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development for funding.

Oh his part the Mayor of Nkambe council, Ngabir Paul Bantar told Senator Jikong that “since

Ngabir Paul, Jikong and Ngi Christopher

April 2013, we have patiently waited to receive you in Nkambe in your new capacity. 20^th May 2013 and 6^th November 2013, were too soon for you to come. March 24^th 2014 and May 20^th 2014, we hoped to see you but in vain. We are glad that you have made it at last”. In presenting the basket full-problems facing the Nkambe council area, Ngabir Paul said that “Nkambe-Ndu Constituencies is our main problem. Why should two councils with two parliamentarians have one constituency? We know this is a prerogative of the President of the Republic of Cameroon”. He also decried the nonchalant nature of AES SONEL and CDE to provide potable water to villages as well as the inadequate approach of decentralization whereby means have not been sent to the local councils for effective work. “We the councilors are the only elected officials who have no monthly allowances. We should be given a monthly allowance commensurate to our level” Ngabir appealed.

Ecstasy there was in Misaje when on August 3, Senator Jikong Stephen Yeriwa flanked by his Alternate Ngi Christopher accompanied by Lon Ernest stormed the council premises. Upon arrival, they were saluted by the Fuebuen Dance of Chunghe( the Royal Dance). In his welcome speech, the mayor of Misaje Sammy Mgbata Nforkemba told the senator that the history of the election of Senator Jikong into the first ever Cameroon’s senate can never be told to the end without mentioning Misaje sub Division. “For it is thanks to the dynamism and the political fairness of our illustrious son H.E Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry, on his capacity as the President of Donga Mantung CPDM Divisional Committee, whom in consultation with other top Donga Mantung Political elite felt that in terms of fairness and geopolitics, Nwa was better placed to produce a winning candidate and that in terms of substance, Prof Jikong Stephen was and is the square peg for the square hole reserved for Donga Mantung Division in the senate”. To Sammy it is for this reason that the councilors of Misaje voted overwhelmingly for his candidature. “Based on this notion, we remain strong behind him and promise to support him in his quest to develop and bring Donga Mantung Division to the limelight”, Mgbata continued. The mayor of Misaje also presented a long list of projects which he termed as priority projects of the municipality. These projects include the construction and equipping of a science laboratory at GBS Misaje, the provision of potable water for Akweto, Bem and the construction of two classrooms at GS Chiako-Nkanchi among others.

Yet tongues are waging in Ndu and Ako over what some politicians say is gross political blunder. Many have questioned whether Jikong is senator for Donga Mantung or Nkambe and Misaje given that the SDF run councils of Ako and Ndu were sidelined. (A suivre)

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

L’institut universitaire de la santé et des sciences biomédicales ST LOUIS, 2014/2015

L’institut universitaire de la santé et des sciences biomédicales ST LOUIS, également dénommé Institut Supérieur de la Santé et des sciences biomédicales ou simplement ST LOUIS, est la référence pour l’excellence et le transfert de technologie au Cameroun. Nous traçons la voie et déterminons les limites. Les autres suivent.

 Votre vie, votre avenir, aller à la lune, être efficace et utile pour votre communauté est un mode de vie, un état d’esprit.

 « Tout commence par un rêve. Si vous y ajoutez  de la foi, cela devient une croyance. Ajoutez- y de l’action et cela devient un objectif à atteindre. Ajoutez-y de la patience et du temps et le rêve devient réalité.»   Auteur inconnu.

 «Si nous reconnaissons nos talents et les utilisons à bon escient, si nous choisissons un domaine qui les mette en valeur, nous allons atteindre le sommet de ce domaine.» (Ben Carson)

 « La question de savoir d’où nous venons et ce à quoi nous ressemblons est inappropriée. Si nous reconnaissons nos capacités, si nous sommes prêts à apprendre et à utiliser ce que nous savons pour aider les autres, nous aurons toujours une place dans le monde.»

 Ben Carson : ‘Think Big’. Libérer votre potentiel pour l’excellence.

« Je suis convaincu que la connaissance est un pouvoir–pour surmonter le passé, changer nos propres situations, lutter contre de nouveaux obstacles, prendre de meilleures décisions.»

 Ben Carson : ‘Think Big’. Libérer votre potentiel pour l’excellence.

 ST LOUIS, UN ENDROIT A PART.

  NOS FORCES 

Notre établissement est construit et géré selon la parole de Dieu. L’amour est notre maître mot. Nous sommes enracinés comme un arbre sur la parole de Dieu. Nous craignons Dieu et demeurons en sa présence. C’est la source de notre force, notre croissance, notre confiance ; notre courage et notre audace s’abreuvent dans la parole et l’action. Nous vivons simplement la parole.

POURQUOI SOMMES-NOUS DIFFERENTS ?

Professionnalisme, éducation de qualité, formation du caractère, responsabilité et renforcement des capacités  sont les qualités que votre fils ou fille obtiendra à ST LOUIS. Nous vous remercions de nous faire confiance et de faire partie de l’équipe gagnante.

  A ST LOUIS les enseignements sont de haute facture. C’est pourquoi nos produits défient toute concurrence. Nous sommes bien équipés et nos laboratoires sont parmi les meilleurs  du pays. Notre personnel est hautement qualifié, engagé, dévoué et motivé. Nous utilisons la sonorisation et les projecteurs dans les amphithéâtres et les cours sont dispensés sous forme de présentation grâce à Power Point.

 Nos programmes d’étude sont construits suivant le système de crédit et reflètent ce qui se passe sur la scène internationale.  Dans nos programmes de soins infirmiers, nous mettons un accent particulier sur la psychologie, la psychiatrie, la thérapeutique, les sciences de base et les travaux pratiques. Nous insistons sur le code de bonne conduite, l’éthique et la déontologie. Les étudiants reçoivent les informations sur la vie et l’état d’esprit d’entreprise.

 Les étudiants de ST LOUIS savent que l’indépendance ou la liberté sont fille d’un travail acharné qui se décline en discipline, honnêteté intellectuelle, prière, respect de la nature et responsabilité. Ils savent dire «oui»  ou « non » quand c’est nécessaire. N’essayez surtout pas de les pousser à faire du mal car ils sont pro-vie.

 Ils se fixent des objectifs simples, réalistes et réalisables. Ils puisent habituellement au tréfonds d’eux-mêmes pour rendre service aux autres.

 Donner et servir est essentiel à leur bonheur et à leur existence. Ce qu’ils font est mesurable et limité dans le temps. Le temps est quelque chose que nous devons apprendre à gérer au Cameroun. Nos étudiants savent comment utiliser l’analyse SWOT dans la compréhension des problèmes et la recherche des solutions utiles.

 Nous les aidons à utiliser le SYSTÈME DE LA PENSEE dans la vie.

ST-LOUIS est ancré dans l’enseignement  professionnel dans lequel nous préparons et formons les jeunes à devenir utiles, productifs et bâtisseurs de la nation.

PROGRAMMES A ST-LOUIS

PROGRAMMES DIPLOMANTS.

 Diplôme professionnel supérieur=HPD=DSEP

Nous formons les détenteurs du GCE ‘A’ level et du BACC pendant trois ans dans les sept filières suivantes.

A-      Soins infirmiers

B-      Sages-femmes

C-      Physiothérapie

D-      Technologie pharmaceutique

E-      Techniques de laboratoire

F-      Dentothérapie

G-     Radiologie ou imagerie médicale

PROGRAMMES DE LICENCE PROFESSIONNELLE

 1-       Soins infirmiers

2-       Imagerie médicale ou radiologie

3-       Physiothérapie

4-       Dentothérapie

5-       Technique de laboratoire

 Les étudiants sages-femmes seront admis en licence professionnelle en 2015.

Les premières licences seront obtenues un an après les formations diplômantes.

Les pourparlers sont en cours avec des universités étrangères et des entreprises pharmaceutiques pour le démarrage d’un cours intensif de pharmacie  productive à ST-LOUIS. La formation durera 6 ans.

NOS STATISTIQUES

Nos statistiques pour l’année 2013-2014 indiquent 1.194  étudiants en HPD (Diplôme professionnel supérieur) et 142 en Licence professionnelle.

NOTRE REFERENCE

 Nos étudiants travaillent pour la mission catholique, la mission  presbytérienne et pour de nombreux organismes privés tels que la Clinique Muna à Douala.

Le gouvernement camerounais a recruté 247 d’entre eux en2009 et une bonne fourchette dans les 25000 de 2012. D’autres encore se trouvent dans le monde entier où ils font notre fierté.

Vous trouverez des renseignements sur nous aux ministères de la santé publique, de l’enseignement supérieur ou auprès de notre mentor de l’Université de Buea.

 Ce qui nous rend spécial c’est la discipline dans laquelle nos étudiants sont moulés. C’est d’ailleurs cette marque particulière qui fait la différence entre les produits de ST LOUIS et ceux du reste du monde. Le savoir-faire technique et le soutien théorique sont solides.

Qu’est-ce qui pourrait aller plus loin que l’imagination?

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)