Instructed since 2015 by President Paul BIYA, the universal health coverage project officially launched in April 2023 enters phase II in 2024 according to Public Health Minister MANAOUDA Malachie. Ultimately, it should enable, among other things, the smooth management of dialysis, simple and severe malaria in children aged 0 to 5, HIV, onchocerciasis and tuberculosis, as well as vaccination and community health interventions.
Universal health coverage (UHC) is one of the government’s top health priorities. Aimed at guaranteeing access to quality healthcare for all, without being exposed to lack of funds, this strategy is based on the establishment of a single national technical and financial management structure. Phase I of the project was launched on April 12, 2023 in Bertoua, in the east of the country. Under the terms of the project, every Cameroonian citizen will be required to have a health coverage card with a unique identification number, enabling them to receive care and services throughout the country. Priority beneficiaries are pregnant women, newborns and children up to the age of 5.
“We’re going to strengthen this basket of care, particularly for pregnant women and children aged 0 to 42 days. We are currently covering 05 regions. We’re going to move into two regions, namely the North-West and South-West. I would also like to remind you that the health voucher is available for 6,000 francs.
But other care, whether promotional or preventive, such as vaccination, will be offered in all 10 regions.”
MANAOUDA Malachie, Minister of Public Health, Cameroon
According to official data, in 2021, only 6.46% of the Cameroonian population is covered by a social health protection mechanism, with a very low mutualization rate estimated at 2%. Over the same period, the coverage rate of health services is 40% for the minimum package, whereas the expected rate according to the WHO Index is over 50%.
“The President of the Republic has insisted on the need to ensure that the financing of universal health coverage is sustainable, so as not to be paralyzed by the non-reimbursement of healthcare costs. So for 2024, we’re going to focus on that. ”
MANAOUDA Malachie, Minister of Public Health, Cameroon
By 2050, the African Development Bank estimates that Africa’s population will reach 2.5 billion, making the continent the richest in terms of human capital. The government is doing everything in its power to meet the population’s needs in terms of quality healthcare provision.
