Faced with the threat of Ebola in the DRC, Pierre Nyemeck Ntamack, president of the NGO ATRAPAD, sent an official alert on June 3, 2026, to the Cameroonian Minister of Public Health, Dr. Manaouda Malachie.
Supported by a letter, this action raises the alarm about the risks of transmission linked to the daily flow of hundreds of trucks traveling between the two countries.
While no cases have been reported on Cameroonian soil, ATRAPAD urges a break from the delayed management of crises in order to develop a preventive and barrier response. Commending the Minister’s proactive approach, the organization requests close collaboration with the government to protect the population.
Faced with the invisible yet devastating threat of epidemic crises, anticipation remains the most crucial weapon for preserving lives. This is the core message of the solemn cry of alarm raised by Pierre Nyemeck Ntamack, chairman of the board of the non-governmental organization « Transport Actors for Peace and Development » (ATRAPAD). In an official letter dated June 3, 2026, the association leader appealed to the Minister of Public Health, Dr. Manaouda Malachie, to urgently request a rigorous prevention strategy in the face of the risk of the Ebola virus spreading within Cameroon.
Transport diplomacy exposed to the health peril
The alert initiated by ATRAPAD is based on a purely pragmatic and sector-specific
diagnosis: the intensity of the economic and human flows linking Cameroon to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This brotherly and friendly country is indeed facing a worrying health situation related to the Ebola virus disease. “We have hundreds of trucks that go there every day, and they also come to our country.” “And let’s not forget the airports and everything that goes with them,” warns Patriarch Nyemeck Ntamack.
This constant stream of heavy truck traffic, a central hub for trade, tourism, and the dynamics of interstate exchange, also constitutes a high-risk biological transmission belt. The concerns of those working on the ground are growing as the risk spreads, affecting major trade routes in East Africa, such as Kenya. For ATRAPAD, the popular saying should guide public action: “When your neighbor’s house is on fire, don’t laugh at him. Just put in place safety measures because it could happen tomorrow.”
Breaking with the culture of delayed reaction
Although no cases of Ebola have yet been detected or reported anywhere in the countrya fact the NGO president emphasizes rigorously to prevent any collective panic recent health history calls for absolute vigilance. Referring to the global and national traumas linked to the Coronavirus and HIV/AIDS, Pierre Nyemeck Ntamack points to a well-known structural flaw: “The case of Cameroon, for most disasters… We are always playing catch-up. And yet, we can implement preventative measures, safety measures, barrier measures.” Drawing a bold but relevant parallel with the tragic recurrence of road accidents in Cameroon, he highlights the inefficiency of a system that waits for tragedy to strike before simply acknowledging the damage. He thus strongly advocates for the emergence of “preventive rather than curative doctors,” rejecting the idea ofa medicine of fatalism that intervenes only to administer the toxic substance and fill the morgues. According to him, the State must invest massively in education, monitoring, and awareness-raising mechanisms to eradicate the disease at its root.
A Call for United Support for Dr. Manaouda Malachie
Far from being a sterile criticism, this appeal is intended as a republican and collaborative approach, offering direct support for public action. ATRAPAD emphasized the dynamism and dedication of the head of the Department of Public Health: « Minister Dr. Manaouda Malachie is doing a great deal. He deserves our praise for that. » However, given that preserving public health is a collective endeavor, the president reiterated that government work is a team effort in which civil society and NGOs have a crucial guiding role to play. By officially extending a
hand to the Ministry, the NGO ATRAPAD is requesting the immediate establishment of a collaborative platform and enhanced health monitoring at our land and air borders. Faced with the threat of Ebola, anticipation is no longer an option; it is an imperative national duty.
