A Heart For The Capital: Shisong’s Renowned Cardiac Expertise Expands To Soa, Yaounde

In the morning of April 26, 2026, the air in Soa near the Cameroonian capital, Yaounde, was filled with a mixture of incense, choral melodies, and a profound sense of relief. As Archbishop Jean Mbarga of Yaounde cut the ceremonial ribbon, he didn't just open the doors to a new building; he inaugurated a sanctuary of hope. The Franciscan Solidarity of Hearts Hospital, or the Shisong Annex, Soa, Yaounde, represents a monumental shift in the landscape of Cameroonian healthcare - a bridge between the war-torn North West region and the burgeoning outskirts of the Cameroon’s political capital.
“I should begin by stating that the Franciscan Solidarity of Hearts Hospital, Soa or Shisong Annex, Soa, Yaounde was inaugurated on Sunday April 26, 2026 by the Archbishop of Yaounde, Jean Mbarga. And immediately after the ceremony, we began consultations. It is a large four-storey building with 200 beds,” explains Rev. Sister Theresa Filai, Administrator of Franciscan Solidarity of Hearts Hospital, or Shisong Annex, Soa, Yaounde.

A Historical Mandate 
To understand the weight of the new facility in Soa, one must look back nearly a century. The Tertiary Sisters of Saint Francis (TSSF) arrived in Cameroon in 1936, settling in the rolling hills of Shisong, Kumbo in Bui Division of the North West Region. Over the decades, they transformed a humble mission into a healthcare empire. Their flagship, Saint Elizabeth Catholic General Hospital, Shisong, became a household name. Not just for its primary care, but for housing the only specialized Cardiac Centre in the sub-region.

People’s Needs, Bishop’s Invitation 
However, the Sisters' mission has never been static. Guided by the "needs of the people and the invitation of the Bishops," the Congregation has spent 90 years expanding social services across Cameroon. While the population of Yaounde had long clamored for a Shisong-style facility in the capital, the Congregation maintained a disciplined focus on their existing missions until the "decisive moment" in 2014.
That year, under the leadership of then-Provincial Superior Sister Roberta Feh, the Sisters sought a base in Yaounde. Initially, the need was logistical: a place to lodge Sisters studying in the capital and those transiting from missions in Northern Cameroon or the Central African Republic. But in the Franciscan tradition, a community is inseparable from pastoral service. When Archbishop Jean Mbarga proposed several locations, the Sisters chose Soa.

Strategic Outskirts Over Urban Saturation
A recurring question posed to the Hospital Administrator, Rev. Sister Theresa Filai, is: Why Soa? Why build on the periphery instead of the heart of Yaoundé? The answer is two-fold: Saturation and specificity. Yaounde proper is densely packed with private clinics, State hospitals, and international health centers. By moving to Soa, the Sisters targeted an underserved demographic. Soa is the home of the University of Yaounde II, hosting thousands of students, faculty, and support staff who previously had to travel long distances for specialized care.
Furthermore, the expansion of the city is moving outward. By establishing the Franciscan Solidarity of Hearts Hospital in Soa, the TSSF is "future-proofing" their mission. Ensuring they are present where the population is growing most rapidly, rather than competing in an already crowded urban center.

The Catalyst Of Conflict 
While the plans for Soa began in 2014, the outbreak of the Anglophone Crisis in 2016 turned a strategic expansion into a humanitarian necessity. The North West and South West Regions, the traditional strongholds of the TSSF, became embroiled in a conflict that paralyzed social services.
The original Shisong Hospital found itself in the eye of the storm. Security challenges made it impossible for patients to travel to Kumbo for life-saving heart surgeries. More critically, the hospital’s specialized medical staff - highly trained surgeons, cardiologists, and nurses - found their lives at risk.
"The insecurity factor exacerbated the need to open services in other parts of the country," Sister Filai noted with somber clarity. The Soa facility serves as a "safety valve," ensuring that the expertise developed over decades in Shisong isn't lost to the displacement caused by war. It is a story of resilience: when the mission in the North West was threatened, the Sisters didn't retreat; they expanded.

Identity In A Name
The hospital’s official title, Franciscan Solidarity of Hearts Hospital, was chosen with meticulous care to reflect its core values: Franciscan - a nod to the rule of Saint Francis of Assisi - humility, poverty, and a focus on the most marginalized.
Solidarity – a recognition that this project was not the work of the Sisters alone. It is the result of a partnership between the Church, the State (through the Ministry of Public Health), and private donors. Hearts - this is the hospital’s "flagship." It signals to the nation that the world-renowned cardiac expertise of Shisong has officially arrived in the Centre Region.
Despite the official name, the Sisters embrace the "Shisong Annex" moniker. Shisong is more than a location; it is a "brand name" for excellence. Every staff member in Soa underwent professional induction in the original Shisong facility to ensure the culture of "seeing and serving Christ in all" was perfectly replicated.

Beyond General Medicine
The Shisong Annex is not a mere clinic; it is a high-tech surgical hub. While consultations began immediately following the April 26, 2026 inauguration, the facility is scaling up to offer a range of specialized services: Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery: The hospital features a full-time cardiologist available 24/7. While the complex plants for surgery are still being finalized, the hospital already organizes regular surgical missions, conveying patients to specialized teams in Yaounde until the Soa theater is 100% operational (envisaged within six months).
Specialized Units: The hospital is rolling out units for Urology, Ophthalmology, Dentistry, and Orthopedic Surgery.
Maternal and Child Health: Following the Franciscan tradition of caring for the vulnerable, the gynecology and physiotherapy departments are equipped with modern diagnostic imagery and laboratories.

The Economics Of Compassion 
One of the most significant hurdles in Cameroonian healthcare is the cost. Specialized cardiac surgery can be prohibitively expensive for the average family. Sister Filai described the question of cost as "thorny," but provided a roadmap for how the hospital intends to maintain the principle of Universal Health Coverage.
The hospital is actively collaborating with the BEPHA Scheme. This is the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Provincial Health Assistance, a Church-led insurance programme that makes care affordable for low-income earners.
The Archbishop Paul Verdzekov Memorial Heart Foundation. This is a dedicated fund that solicits donations specifically to subsidize the cost of cardiac procedures. The "Gift Box" Initiative. This is a physical solicitation point within the hospital where well-to-do visitors can donate directly to the treatment of the underprivileged.
This "Solidarity" model ensures that the hospital remains a place for all, regardless of their financial standing - a radical approach in an era of increasingly commercialized medicine.

“Making Hay For Rainy Days"
Sister Filai appeals to the broader community, viewing the hospital not as a private enterprise, but as a collective insurance policy for the people of Cameroon. "A hospital is no one’s home," she remarked, "but the chances that we shall find ourselves spending several nights in hospital in our lifetime are 99.9%."
The Sisters are calling on healthcare stakeholders, international partners, and the Cameroonian Diaspora to invest in the facility. Whether through the donation of equipment, the funding of surgical missions, or the establishment of sustainable healthcare inclusive programmes, the goal is to make the "impossible possible."

A New Chapter In Healing
As the Shisong Annex, Soa, begins its first full month of operations, the impact is already being felt. For the residents of Soa and the students of Yaounde II, high-quality healthcare is no longer a day-long journey away. For the displaced staff from the North West Region, it is a place of professional rebirth. And for the Tertiary Sisters of Saint Francis, it is the fulfillment of a 90-year-old promise to serve the needs of the people, wherever those needs may lead.
The Franciscan Solidarity of Hearts Hospital, Soa stands as a testament to the fact that even in times of national crisis and economic hardship, the "Solidarity of Hearts" can build a sanctuary that heals both the body and the spirit.

Beyond General Medicine
The Shisong Annex is not a mere clinic; it is a high-tech surgical hub. While consultations began immediately following the April 26, 2026 inauguration, the facility is scaling up to offer a range of specialized services:
Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery: The hospital features a full-time cardiologist available 24/7. While the complex plants for surgery are still being finalized, the hospital already organizes regular surgical missions, conveying patients to specialized teams in Yaounde until the Soa theater is 100% operational (envisaged within six months).
Specialized Units: The hospital is rolling out units for Urology, Ophthalmology, Dentistry, and Orthopedic Surgery.
Maternal and Child Health: Following the Franciscan tradition of caring for the vulnerable, the gynecology and physiotherapy departments are equipped with modern diagnostic imagery and laboratories.

The Economics ...