Core area “Health, social protection and population dynamics” Affordable healthcare for all

    In its Africa Strategy, the German Development Ministry (BMZ) has made health and pandemic prevention a focus of its cooperation with Africa. In Cameroon, the Ministry is active, in particular, in the areas of population development and family planning, maternal and child health, and the prevention of HIV/AIDS and other pandemics.

    Nurse in a hospital in Douala, Cameroon

    Nurse in a hospital in Douala, Cameroon

    At the request of the Cameroonian government, Germany and Cameroon agreed in 2022 that health would again be a core area of the two countries' development cooperation. Germany is supporting its partner country's efforts to strengthen the health sector, which has so far been heavily underfunded, and to provide better health services for the people. So far, Cameroon's rural regions in particular are significantly underserved in terms of healthcare. About 70 per cent of all healthcare expenditure is covered out of pocket.

    In particular, women, children and especially vulnerable people such as poor and internally displaced persons have inadequate access to health services. This especially relates to sexual and reproductive health and rights and psychosocial support.

    The BMZ is working to improve the quality of healthcare and people's access to family planning services. Related efforts include the development of quality concepts, the provision of training for health personnel, support for the introduction of digital technology, the introduction of affordable prices for medical services, and steps to give people access to contraceptives.


    Better pregnancy and childbirth care

    The BMZ is also supporting the expansion of the country's health voucher system. It gives women access to affordable healthcare during pregnancy and in the first weeks after childbirth. The Cameroonian government introduced this system in 2015 with support from Germany and France in order to reduce the high rates of maternal and infant mortality.

    Cameroon is also a beneficiary country of the BACKUP programme. This programme helps to strengthen health systems worldwide so that countries are able to contain infectious diseases such as AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and COVID-19 more effectively and prevent pandemics.

    As at: 27/02/2024