By Moma Sandrine
Some elements of the Rapid Intervention Battalion known by its French acronym, BIR have taken some relief materials to underprivileged persons in Bui Division, North West region.
The humanitarian act that was carried out on March 13, 2019 is in line with yearly gestures shown by the BIR to underprivileged persons in different parts of the country.
This year, the Mbingo Baptist Hospital, Banso Baptist Hospital Kumbo and Shishong Hospital were on the humanitarian list of the 3rd Rapid Intervention Battalion. The gifts included amongst others food items, sanitary pads, toiletries, clothes, blankets. As the gifts were handed to the director of Banso Baptist Hospital Kumbo, his words of appreciation were extended to the BIR for such a gesture “now that these gifts are here, we do appreciate them when the desperate people come, and we’ll share them accordingly”.
The director further explained that untold sufferings had been the order of the day in Kumbo and it has been quite challenging for patients to have access to health care “the crisis has affected us so much because patients do not come to the hospital because they find a lot of difficulty getting here. Some of them even die on their way here”.
Bui Division is one of those places that have been severely hit by the Anglophone crisis. Several people have either gone into the bushes or flee to safer towns within the country while many others are left at the mercy of poverty. As such a majority of the population depend on humanitarian aid.
The BIR faced series of confrontations on their way to deliver the aid and back to their base. There were serious bullet exchanges between them and supposed Ambazonian fighters. The deafening sounds of gunshots scared some drivers who were plying the road within the said moment. Only a few courageous ones stood their grounds and proceeded with their journey.