and are thankful for the care they receive. Much of
this positive relationship is a result of the continuous
social contact the residents have with the local population living around the mission.
The people involved in this work agree that this
is a rewarding experience, one that reminds us of the
meaning and the beauty of being a surgeon and what
a privilege it is to take care of people in need. A smile
or the gift of a wild fruit is often more memorable than
a monetary reward.
Italy remains a gateway to the Western world for
many immigrants from North Africa and the Middle
East. In fact, the number of immigrants from these
regions has increased in recent years due to the political instability of both regions. This phenomenon has
resulted in various Italian hospitals recognizing the
need to address the cultural differences of these immigrant populations.
Future challenges:
Funding and rotation decline
Unfortunately, securing funding for our missionary
work in Cameroon continues to be a challenge as
DFA, our sponsoring organization, relies on private
donations. A notable exception is the Italian Episcopal
Committee, which recently offered support for a pro-
gram aimed at improving maternity and infant care.
Since the implementation of this program, mortal-
ity rates for pregnant women have been dramatically
reduced, and there have been no recorded cases of
infant mortality.
In addition to funding hurdles, the program faces
other challenges related to a reduction in resident
participation. Residents have expressed a decreasing
interest in the Saint-Luc rotation, which may be attributed to a couple of factors, including the Ebola epidemic
of 2014–2015, even though Cameroon was unaffected;
the continuous political unrest in the region; and the
retirement of Professors Stipa and Cavallaro, co-authors
of this article and a leading force behind the success
of the Saint-Luc hospital resident rotations. Upon
Dr. Cavallaro’s retirement from his academic position
in 2010, he joined Alberto Sciamplicotti, a photographer
with the University of Rome, in giving renewed support and energy to a small project initiated by the first
residents who worked at the mission. This humanitarian organization continues to work to secure funding
to continue this rotation in Africa.
While many debates regarding the ongoing role
of Italian physicians who provide care for immigrant
populations continue to have a presence in the media,
the hospitals and physicians continue to work to meet
the needs of these patient populations, with little regard
for the patient’s social, economic, and religious background. Our experience in Cameroon continues to
serve as a reminder that differences in culture can be
overcome by knowledge and friendship. ♦
