On the occasion of the third anniversary of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), the Minister of Public Health gave a press briefing on April 29, 2026 at the Centre de Coordination des Opérations d'Urgence de Santé Publique in Yaoundé. Dr. Manaouda Malachie drew up an overall positive assessment, despite persistent challenges.

Three years after its launch, Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Cameroon has made significant progress. On April 29, 2026, Minister of Public Health Manaouda Malachie presented encouraging results to the press. Published figures show that more than 5.8 million Cameroonians have been pre-registered, of whom 4.6 million have actually registered, representing a take-up rate of 81 %. In this way, the CSU is gradually moving from an institutional reform to a system integrated into the daily lives of citizens.

Significant progress in the care of vulnerable populations

One of the highlights of this report is the integration of priority groups. Children under 5 are enrolled at 68 %. People living with HIV reached 86 %. Tuberculosis patients reached 99 %, while those on dialysis reached 100 %. This trend confirms the public authorities' determination to give priority to the most vulnerable populations.

Prevention and cost reduction: concrete results

In addition, prevention is now central to the implementation of the CSU. More than 2.1 million children received vitamin A supplements. Community health workers carried out 6.8 million home visits. They also distributed impregnated mosquito nets to 928,000 households. In addition, 3.6 million children were vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella.

What's more, the impact on healthcare costs remains particularly visible. Nearly 2.9 million children received free consultations. At the same time, 839,000 births were supervised, with 35,632 caesarean sections accessible at 6,000 FCFA. The annual cost of dialysis fell from 520,000 to 15,000 FCFA. At the same time, 457,000 HIV patients and 96,000 tuberculosis sufferers benefit from free treatment.

However, structural challenges persist. Geographical accessibility remains a cause for concern, especially in rural areas where health care provision remains limited. Difficulties in reimbursing health facilities still affect the quality of services. They also influence the availability of medicines and staff motivation.

In addition, the question of quality of care remains central. Infrastructure remains inadequate. The system lacks qualified personnel. Health safety requirements also need to be reinforced to guarantee the effectiveness of the system.

Finally, the government is planning a number of improvements for the coming years. It plans to adopt a law dedicated to the CSU. It intends to strengthen health infrastructures, particularly in rural areas. It also plans to extend the healthcare basket to other pathologies, such as hepatitis and childhood diabetes. He also plans to improve the digitization and transparency of the system.

Under the impetus of President Paul Biya, the CSU remains a major pillar of the country's social policy. The results to date have been satisfactory. The challenge now is to consolidate the gains made and ensure the system's sustainability, without compromising the quality of care or its financial equilibrium.

Anita MENOUNGA