In Cameroon in 2021, according to World Bank data, there will be just one doctor for every 10,000 inhabitants. This is well below the 4.5 doctors per 1,000 inhabitants recommended by the WHO. This situation calls for far-reaching reforms to the healthcare system. According to Manaouda Malachie, Minister for Public Health, the development and implementation of the national strategic plan for digital health should make it possible to offer a quality of care similar to face-to-face services.
In 2021, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics, only 6.46% of the Cameroonian population was covered by a social health protection mechanism. Over the same period, the rate of coverage of health services was 40% for the minimum package, whereas the expected rate according to the WHO Index is over 50%. Since then, the government has been working to reform the healthcare system in order to improve access to universal health cover. This objective involves implementing mechanisms to digitise the provision of healthcare. Estimated to cost FCFA 11.32 billion, the National Strategic Plan for Digital Health 2020-2024, scheduled for implementation in 2025, should improve the collection of surveillance data and real-time monitoring of patients’ state of health.
“ The current system is already moving towards computerisation and interconnection of all our health facilities. That’s already underway, and we also have a project for electronic patient records…
I spoke to you earlier about the regional hospitals. These regional hospital centres have telemedicine equipment. Today, in most hospital wards, we can deliver a baby remotely, operate on a patient and provide other care. ”
MANAOUDA Malachie, Minister of Public Health – Cameroon
However, there are a number of challenges that stand in the way of making this initiative operational. These include the lack of network infrastructure, which includes both the unavailability of servers and the poor availability of the Internet network. This is a situation for which the authorities are considering new solutions.
“I don’t think we should wait until all the conditions have been met before taking action. We have to act with the means at our disposal, so for us the environment is not a brake.”
MANAOUDA Malachie, Minister of Public Health – Cameroon
The different areas of intervention for digital health include stock notification and product management, provider-to-customer telemedicine, provider-to-provider telemedicine, as well as support and decision-making assistance for healthcare workers and the provision of training and education content for healthcare workers.