Ministère de la Santé Publique

Progressively and effectively, it is taking shape and gaining grounds across the entire country. The English-speaking regions of Cameroon have also entered the new era.

It is therefore a new day that dawns this Wednesday, August 7, 2024 for Cameroon, and precisely for its English-speaking part, with the official launch of the Health Voucher in the North-West and South-West regions. Indeed, Dr Malachie MANAOUDA, Minister of Public Health, is on a working visit to the South-West capital Buea, with the introduction of the Health Voucher at the heart of his deployment, and therefore a new and eminently symbolic opening for the Universal Health Coverage, this social programme set in motion by the determination of the President of the Republic.

Concretely, the thematic and geographical extension of the Health Voucher which is materializing today in Buea, opens an unprecedented page in the history of the country. It is overall a small revolution, which introduces each person in possession of what presents itself as one of the flagship products of the UHC, to a significant range of privileges in terms of health, and above all at low cost.

In the presence of the entire administrative, political, traditional and religious communities, Dr Malachie MANAOUDA, after having appreciated the reception given to him, invited the populations to adopt the new approach and to enrol, in order to fully benefit from this “offensive health policy, aimed in particular at guaranteeing equitable and fair access to health care and services for all,” he said.

He once again presented the basket of care, the access methods, and above all the multiple advantages introduced by the Health Voucher. The Minister of Public Health also reassured about the imminent and progressive realization of the improvements planned for both the technical platforms and the human resources, against the backdrop of the quality of care and the humanization of the medical environment.

After this introductory ceremony, Minister MANAOUDA remained faithful to his logic, that of going to the field, to take the pulse of the activities for which he is in charge.
It is with this in mind that together with his suite, they went to the hemodialysis centre of the Buea Regional Hospital, one of the nerve centres of the UHC in its Phase 1. Here Minister MANAOUDA was able to notice that the nineteen treatment stations are indeed operational. Excellent news because, it should be recalled, patients registered for this service and other people suffering from certain specific pathologies, pregnant women and children under 5 years old, are for the moment the main beneficiaries of the UHC.
The visit to health facilities that day also took the minister and his suite to the Buea Integrated Health Centre in the old town. And there, he was able to tour the premises and take stock of the situation. He did not miss the opportunity to thank the medical staff for the sacrifices made, inviting everyone to be ever more self-sacrificing.
This visit of the Minister of Public Health will continue tomorrow Thursday August 8 in the city of Douala. On the programme, several working sessions planned in the field once again, with some heads of health facilities and devolved services of his ministry.

Clave NKEN and Emmanuel ABENA/ CELCOM MOH