The Cameroon Baptist Convention (CBC) Health Services joined the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to celebrate its 20 years of Public Health Impact in Cameroon. The event took place at Hilton Hotel in Yaounde on September 10, 2024.

The CDC which established an HIV Laboratory and Research Program in Cameroon in 1998, had its first office established in 2004. For 20 years, CDC has effectively had interventions in responding to HIV Tuberculosis and malaria; Preventing, detecting, and responding to health emergencies; Strengthening laboratory capacity and systems; and Enhancing disease surveillance and data systems. CDC for these 20 years worked closely with the Ministry of Public Health, the World Health Organization, and other partners to strengthen health systems, reduce illness and respond to disease outbreaks.

Enumerating the wins of CDC across 20 years, the U.S. Ambassador to Cameroon Christopher J. Lamora states that “by providing technical and financial assistance to strengthen public health services and bolster the nation’s ability to detect and control epidemic threats, CDC has helped improve Cameroon’s healthcare quality and access significantly. With its partners, CDC has expanded HIV services to all 10 regions, trained nearly 2000 local field epidemiologists, and established the National Public Health Laboratory and five internationally accredited labs – among many other achievements”. He added that “Health has always been and will continue to be one of our top priorities in Cameroon, and the US Mission in Cameroon looks forward to continued collaboration to advance the health of people in Cameroon and around the world”.

In his message on this occasion, the CDC Country Director Dr. Mohamed Jalloh notes the key role played by CDC “in the implementation of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), and the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI). These efforts he emphasized have improved health outcomes enhanced coordination in the health sector, and boosted Cameroon’s capacity to respond to health emergencies.

Thanks to the support of PEPFAR through CDC, Cameroon is now on the cusp of ending its HIV epidemic by 2030. Statistics from UNAIDS as of December 2023 show that over 90% of the 500,000 people living with HIV in Cameroon knew their status, nearly everyone diagnosed with HIV was on treatment, and nearly 90% of those on treatment reached viral suppression. Dr. Jalloh attributes this success to PEPFAR-funded partners who have been providing services in more than 300 health facilities across the 10 regions of Cameroon.

Talking about malaria, Dr. Jalloh revealed that “in collaboration with USAID through PMI, CDC has contributed to substantially reducing malaria cases and deaths among children. In 2024, CDC supported Cameroon in becoming the first country to introduce malaria vaccines in its routine immunization program”.

The Minister of Health Dr Malachie Manaouda thanked CDC for fruitful interventions in Cameroon, expressed the appreciation of Cameroon through the US Ambassador to the U.S. government for their support to improve the health of Cameroonians. Health, he acknowledges is the bedrock of any development, and good health will lead to emergence in 2035 in Cameroon.

As an implementing partner of PEPFAR- funded projects across the years, the CBC Health Services joined the celebration showcasing its services. The CBC Health Services received an award in recognition of significant impact in public health disease prevention and response. Other individuals and institutions were recognized for their contributions in this 20-years journey with the CDC.

It is worth noting that the CBC Health Services is currently an implementing partner of the Cameroon Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment (CAMPHIA) 2024. The results of this survey expected in 2025 will inform policies to further improve HIV response strategies in the country.