The CBC Health Services, in partnership with Christian Blind Mission (CBM), within the context of the Strengthening Ear and Hearing Care Capacities in Cameroon Project, has piloted audiology training in Cameroon. The two-week training began on August 11, 2025, at the CBC Health Services Mvan Resource Center in Yaoundé.
During the opening ceremony, presided over by the Director of CBC Health Services and the CBM Country Director, the project coordinator, Aisha Kinyuy, emphasized the goal of the training. She stated that the training aims at strengthening Cameroon’s healthcare system by enhancing healthcare professionals’ capacity in audiology services to effectively diagnose, treat, and refer cases of hearing impairments.
“Imagine a world where innovation knows no bounds, where every challenge is met with tenacious determination, and where the pursuit of excellence is a way of life. Welcome to our journey, where we redefined possibilities and set new standards of achievements,” Ngum Samuel, Director of CBC Health Services, speaking at the opening of the training. He said, despite the growing need for hearing health services nationwide, Cameroon has long faced a critical shortage of trained audiology professionals.
Mr. Ngum added that for years, individuals with hearing impairments have struggled to access timely and specialized care, often relying on limited resources or traveling great distances for basic assessment. These limitations and others have intensified over the years due to a lack of access to quality ear care services. He noted that thanks to the partnership with BMZ, CBM, and Worldwide Hearing, Cameroon is training its audiology technicians. He extended gratitude to the Ministry of Public Health for its leadership in fostering the initiative in Cameroon.
According to the Head of Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) Department, Prof Djoumou Francois, there is a need for more audiology teachers across the country. He recalled that in 2000, Cameroon could boast of about just 50 specialists in the sector; thus, the need for human resources in this domain remains high.
While officially launching the training, the CBM Country Director, Mr. Fon Julius, underlined that the training is laying a foundation for ear and hearing care in Cameroon. “This is an opportunity that CBM is piloting in Cameroon, and we are hoping that the experience from here will be shared with developing countries,” Fon Julius noted with optimism. He underlined that based on the gains of the pilot phase of the project, it will motivate CBM to develop more programs to fill the gaps that are not yet covered.
The training was attended by 14 ear and hearing care clinical officers from 12 secondary hospitals in the Northwest, Center, and Littoral regions. The training, which is the first of its kind in Cameroon, is delivered by World Wide Hearing and supported by CBM. One of the trainers, the CBM Senior Advisor for Ear and Hearing Care, Dr. Diego Santana disclosed that the training will focus on early identification of hearing loss at all ages, focus on adults during week one and children during week two, and proper referrals within the national health system.
The trainees carried out an outreach screening campaign with participants and provide assistive devices to 14 clients. The lead trainer noted that the training is an opportunity given to them to change the landscape of ear and hearing care in Cameroon. Dr. Diego was accompanied by facilitators from World Wide Hearing, Madison Saunders from the USA, and Sarah Sadi from Canada. The training funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Development and Cooperation (BMZ) and the Christian Blind Mission (CBM) ends on August 22, 2025.
