EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This report is based on an internship carried out at the CAMEROON BAPTIST CONVENTION HEALTH SERVICES CENTRAL PHARMACY, Mutengene. Internship is a necessary requirement for the award of a Higher National Diploma. The main aim of this internship was to bridge the gap between banking theories and practice.

The main aim of this institution is to centralize the production and sale of medicines to all CBC institutions and equally to increase the rate of employment in the country. It has an organizational structure which begins with the Director of Health Services, followed by the General Manager and the Operational Manager, right down to the administrative personnel departments.

While at the institution, the intern worked in the various departments such as the medical supply department, finance office, sales and purchase department and focused at the drug store where the intern saw the various formalities and procedures followed in storekeeping. Equally, the intern discovered that practical work and theory are not that different.

The CBCHS has some strengths and weaknesses and for the weaknesses, the intern was able to come up with some recommendations. At the end of the internship, the intern finally concluded that the CBCHS helped him to achieve to a greater extent the main objective which was to blend theory with practice.

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Internship

It is a period of work experience offered by an employer to give students and graduates exposure to the working environment, often within a specific industry, which is related to their field of study. Internships can be as short as weeks or as long as 12 months.

The case in point ranges from one to three months. Internships can be done in a range of sectors, including management, accounting, sales, marketing, engineering, graphic design, I.T and many more. Throughout an internship variety of skills are developed including communication skills, personal effectiveness, presentation skills, creative problem solving and influencing skills.

‘On-the-job’ experience is as valuable as anything learned in school. After all, a student cannot really understand what a job is all about until he/she has worked in that environment.

Internship is a great opportunity for an intern to speak directly to people who have experience in the role the intern aspires to take up so as to contribute in nation building; and their knowledge of the job and working environment will give the intern a greater understanding of what it is all about and what is needed for progress.

1.2.1 Aim

The one and only aim of this internship is to blend theory and practice.

1.2.2 Objectives of the Internship

The goals an intern seeks to achieve by undertaking an internship include;

• To partially fulfill the requirements for the award of a Higher National Diploma in Business Management.
• To develop skills in the application of theory to practical work situations.
• To increase a student’s sense of responsibility and creativity.
• To develop employment records/references that will enhance employment opportunities.
• To get an in-depth knowledge of the formal functional activities of a participating organization.

There are many other reasons why internship is important or significant;

• Internship broadens the student’s mind academically. The student gains more knowledge added to what he/she learned in class, since he/she meets and interacts with the professionals working in that organization.
• Internship helps the student to understand what he\she has learned in the classroom as far as the theory is concerned. The student learns to put into practice what was taught in class.
• Internship is there to help the student acquire the necessary experience in work. It increases work experience as well as boosts up the curriculum vitae, so as to give him/her an added advantage during job interviews.
• Internship is also important because it is a requirement to be met for the fulfillment of an academic course such as in this case of an HND.

CHAPTER TWO

PRESENTATION OF THE ORGANIZATION

2.1 Historical Background of the CBCHS

The Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services (CBCHS) Central Pharmacy (CP) was created in 1989. It initially started in Banso Baptist Hospital (BBH) as a drug store with 4 staff, today located at the CBC Health Service Complex (HSC) premises formerly known as PLANTECAM in Mutengene, South West Region of Cameroon.

The CP today has about 70 staff who ensure the credibility of its products. CP is responsible for the procurement, production and distribution of drugs and medical supplies to the hospitals, integrated health centers and primary health centres of the services situated in 6 of the 10 regions of Cameroon.

God willing, CP intends to become a full-fledged pharmaceutical manufacturing company in the future. There was a need to control the procurement and distribution of drugs and medical supplies of CBCHS, so this department was created to meet this need.

Leadership

The first pharmacist to serve as head of the Central Pharmacy in the capacity of General Supervisor was Mr. Tambe Robert. Below is a complete list of its General Supervisors since inception:

• Tambe Robert (1993-1997)
• Nfor Emmanuel (1997-2001)
• Kaptue Yves (2001)
• Ntumfon Rose (2001-2002)
• Nfor Emmanuel (2002-2005)
• Wanyu Nathan (2005-2009)
• Dr. Tabeteh Gerald Frunjang (2009 – July 2015)
• Dr. Ngah Edward Ndzi (present General Manager)

In 2009, the appellation of the head of the Central Pharmacy was changed from General Supervisor to General Manager. The title of heads of units was also changed to managers, so today the head of a unit is called Manager of Drug Supply Services, Manager of Sterile Production, etc.

Dr. Nebafu Wilson worked as a pharmacist in the late 1990s and Dr. Ngah Edward Ndzi and Dr. Munfi Francis joined the ranks of pharmacists.

In 2002, the first CP Bursary was created with Mrs. Fai Bridget as pioneer Bursar. In 2005, Mr. Ngang Paul, an economist was appointed the pioneer Operations Manager of the CBC Central Pharmacy. He was relieved for one year in 2007/2008 by Mr. Karawa Emmanuel. He resumed in the same capacity after further training in Germany in hospital management.

2.2 Aims and Objectives of the Organization

The following objectives were set to give a guide:

• To centralize drug purchases.
• To store their products and materials.
• To ensure equitable supply to all its institutions.
• To produce some drugs and ointments, etc.

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