By: Mildred Ndum Wung Kum
Spurred by sheer benevolence and love for humankind, Joseph Mubang who is reputed as a philanthropist has donated a forty feet container of medical equipment to the Saint Blaise Catholic Hospital in Bamenda.
The son of Mankon soil also gave his word saying that he shall single handedly fund the construction of the first floor of an envisaged six storey building of the Hospital project, a commitment which shall require him the sum of eighty million francs, meanwhile his family shall together finance the construction of the second floor.
It was on the 12th of April 2022 at the Piazza of the Saint Joseph’s Cathedral Mankon during Chrism Mass and Cathedraticum that His Grace Andrew Nkea, Archbishop of Bamenda presented Mr Mubang Joseph to the public rendering thanks to him for donating medical supplies to the Hospital. During the same occasion, Mr Mubang declared his intention to construct one of the floors of the Hospital project.
Archbishop Andrew in episcopal vestment presenting J. Mubang to the faithful at Chrism Mass and Cathedraticum
J. Mubang disclosed to the press that the equipment including vital sign monitors, stretchers, wheel chairs, dressing trolley, beds, echography machines and ambulance ventilators among many others already handed to the administration of the hospital is worth one hundred and fifty million francs.
Joseph Mubang
He said he procured the items from medical missionaries in the USA in order to help the area which due to a sociopolitical crisis is in dire need of medical items.
He also underlined that it is thanks to the collaboration of the administration in Cameroon that the equipment were brought notably the Minister of Finance Louis Paul Motaze who lifted excise duty and the Minister of Territorial Administration Paul Atanga Nji who ensured safe arrival of the equipment.
Speaking to people who had gathered at the Piazza for the Chrism Mass and Cathedraticum, Mr Mubang told them that his zeal for the welfare of the Saint Blaise Catholic Hospital is in the footsteps of his late father. He said “I’m a son of the soil. I grew up in Big Mankon. My father was a philanthropist.
He built the Stations of the Cross in Jangma and he contributed for the building of the Cathedral.
To those that much has been given much is expected and as a token of appreciation I feel I have been blessed. I own a mental health clinic in Washington DC. To give back to my community, I went to the adage by John Kennedy -Ask not what your country has done for you. Ask what you have done for your country. This is my token of appreciation for being a son of the soil. I want to be revered as that son who spent forty five years in America, came back home and went back to the common man” he told the faithful at the event.
What followed after his speech is what can be described as a ripple effect of his generosity given that his sibling Michael Mubang immediately came forward too and declared his intention to fund the construction of the Saint Blaise Hospital with ten million francs.
Both sons were appraised for being kind hearted and supportive to the Church and the wellness of the people.
Adolph Lele Lafrique-Governor of the Northwest Region, Professor Fru Angwafo III – president of the Northwest Regional Council and Dr Kingsley Che Soh in separate interviews to the press all hailed the Mubangs for a gesture that would upgrade health and wellbeing in the Northwest.
Mr Mubang Joseph has often shined to the public as a humanitarian. Just recently on April 2nd 2022 during a pilgrimage at the Mater Redemptoris Shrine located on the hill of “Jangma” in Mbatu Northwest Region, he took the commitment to construct hostels at the Shrine where pilgrims can lodge.
It would be recalled that the Mater Redemptoris Shrine was founded and retroceded to the Catholic Church in Bamenda by late Federick Mubang, father of Joseph and Michael Mubang.
The Saint Blaise project was initiated by the Archbishop of Bamenda some months back. The plan is to transform the health facility to a referral hospital, a six storey building that would house the outpatient department, an ultra modern maternity, the diagnostic unit, a pharmacy and mini theatre, a blood bank and a specialised therapeutic ward among others.
There is hope that, with the Mubang family as pace setters, the positive response to the plan of uplifting the hospital would see the giant plan of a health edifice being realized in the twinkle of an eye.