''Naigahelp'' (full name in German: "Naigahelp - Organisation für Afrikahilfe", which means '' Naigahelp organisation for aid in Africa'') is a humanitarian aid organisation which provides

medical Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care practi ...

assistance for health centres in

West Africa West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Mau ...

.
Official Website

Creation

Naigahelp emerged from an informal organized clique of German students, who tried to work against the grievances in Developing countries, Low income countries by means of supporting other charity organisations, e.g. for the treatment of

noma Noma, NoMa, or NOMA may refer to: Places * NoMa, the area North of Massachusetts Avenue in Washington, D.C., US ** NoMa–Gallaudet U station, on Washington Metro * Noma, Florida, US * NOMA, Manchester, a redevelopment in England * Noma Distric ...

. While working in

Cameroon Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west- central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; th ...

as medical attendants, the two ''Naigahelp'' raisers experienced the particular incidence which led them to the idea founding an own organisation. A young girl went to the hospital they worked in, suffering at first only from a small wound

suppurating Pus is an exudate, typically white-yellow, yellow, or yellow-brown, formed at the site of inflammation during bacterial or fungal infection. An accumulation of pus in an enclosed tissue space is known as an abscess, whereas a visible collection ...

due to an infection. But in consequence of the non-professional wound dressing it couldn't heal and the girl got a

sepsis Sepsis, formerly known as septicemia (septicaemia in British English) or blood poisoning, is a life-threatening condition that arises when the body's response to infection causes injury to its own tissues and organs. This initial stage is foll ...

. The two young assistants had recognized the inadequate treatment methods for quite a long time, but it wasn't changed until a

Yaoundé Yaoundé (; , ) is the capital of Cameroon and, with a population of more than 2.8 million, the second-largest city in the country after the port city Douala. It lies in the Centre Region of the nation at an elevation of about 750 metres (2,50 ...

surgeon visited the hospital and accomplished an

incision and drainage Incision and drainage (I&D), also known as clinical lancing, are minor surgical procedures to release pus or pressure built up under the skin, such as from an abscess, boil, or infected paranasal sinus. It is performed by treating the area with ...

to the wound.
Remembrances of a Naigahelp founder (in German) Encouraged by this, the two founders decided to build up their own organisation, which should not only distribute medical drugs and equipment to the hospitals, but also provide skill enhancement programs for the hospital stuff, in order to avoid such malpractice in the future.

Projects and Missions

Mission structure

Main operational hub of the Naigahelp community is the city of

Freiburg im Breisgau Freiburg im Breisgau (; abbreviated as Freiburg i. Br. or Freiburg i. B.; Low Alemannic: ''Friburg im Brisgau''), commonly referred to as Freiburg, is an independent city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. With a population of about 230,000 (as o ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG),, is a country in Central Europe. It is the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany lies between the Baltic and North Sea to the north and the Alps to the sou ...

. While the European associates are managing the financial aspects, local co-workers organize the field missions in Cameroon and

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of G ...

. Most of the projects are carried out in the South West Region in Cameroon, around the town of

Buea Buea is the capital of the Southwest Region of Cameroon. The city is located in Fako Division, on the eastern slopes of Mount Cameroon, and has a population of 300,000 (at the 2013 Census). It has two Government Hotels, the Mountain Hotel and ...

, but the organisation is also active in Nigeria, where it works on educational und medical missions throughout the country. Through educational missions are students taught how to improve the future with their own ideas. Cooperation includes Taraba, Adamawa, Niger, Kaduna, Akwa Ibom and many other states. It is planned to work on the

HIV/Aids Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ...

prevention also. Naigahelp has also lined up a range of Volunteer projects for young people who like to do voluntary services in Africa. This includes not only medical missions, but also social projects like the work in orphanages or a wildlife centre.

Current field missions

In January 2012, Naigahelp has sent a big consignment to the ‘’St. Joan of Arc Higher Institute of Medical Sciences’’, Buea, including new echography equipment. Within this, an information campaign about worm diseases was carried out in the area of Fako Division in South West Cameroon.

References

{{reflist 4. Chapter ''Current field missions'':"German volunteers upgrading Fako health facilities", ''The Recorder'', Cameroonian newspaper on 23 January 2012 about the Naigahelp work (Not online) Health charities in Germany Health in Cameroon Medical and health organisations based in Baden-Württemberg Foreign charities operating in Cameroon