In a circular letter dated July 20, 2026, the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Manaouda Malachie, announced the free provision of the Sofosbuvir/Daclatasvir 400/60 mg protocol, box of 28 tablets, batches № 230699/230701, until September 30, 2026.
Just a few years ago, getting treatment for hepatitis C in Cameroon was a real ordeal. A single course of treatment cost over 15 million CFA francs, a prohibitive amount in a country where the minimum wage is around 43,969 CFA francs. Today, a wave of relief is sweeping through healthcare facilities. In a circular dated July 20, 2026, the Minister of Public Health, Dr. Manaouda Malachie, announced that the Sofosbuvir/Daclatasvir 400/60 mg protocol, box of 28 tablets, batch numbers 230699/230701, will be free of charge until September 30, 2026. This free treatment is part of a broader strategy defined by the Ministry of Public Health. The objectives set by the Minister of Health are clear: 90% of patients should
know their serological status, 90% of those who test positive should begin treatment, and the mortality rate from hepatitis should be reduced by 65%. The national strategic plan aims to integrate the fight against hepatitis into other public health programs and to strengthen universal access to prevention and treatment services.
This decision is part of Cameroon’s Viral Hepatitis Awareness Month. It is not the first such initiative. In October 2023, the Minister of Public Health, Dr. Manaouda Malachie, had already announced a « special measure from the Head of State » making this same treatment free of charge. « A special measure from the Head of State, » the Minister of Health clarified in a press release published on October 18, 2023. Nearly three years later, the government is reiterating its commitment and extending this benefit to the population, hoping to reach a greater number of patients.
A heavy epidemiological burden
To understand the significance of this measure, one must first grasp the extent of the disease in Cameroon. The available data, highlighted by the Minister during World Hepatitis Day in 2024, speaks volumes. Hepatitis B affects 11.2% of the population, with marked regional disparities, particularly in the Far North where the prevalence reaches 17.7%. Hepatitis C affects 1.3% of the general population, while the prevalence of hepatitis D among those infected with hepatitis B is 10.5%. Dr. Rose Armelle Ada, head of the hepatitis control service at the Ministry of Public Health, stated: “This is a one-off decision by the Minister of Health in connection with the celebration of Viral Hepatitis Awareness Month. It is a gesture of goodwill towards the Cameroonian people. Everyone will now have access to treatment.”
A cost that was prohibitively expensive for a long time
Professor Kowo Mathurin Pierre, a hepatogastroenterologist at the Yaoundé University Hospital (CHU), the first accredited hepatitis treatment center in Cameroon, is well aware of the financial difficulties his patients face. “Hepatitis is asymptomatic in nearly 98% of cases. By the time symptoms appear, it’s already too late: the patient has developed cirrhosis or liver cancer. At that point, even if the virus is neutralized, the complication progresses on its own and can lead to death,” he warns. The CHU treats an average of 500 to 1,000 patients per year for hepatitis B or C. By making the Sofosbuvir/Daclatasvir protocol free of charge, Cameroon is taking a decisive step toward eliminating hepatitis C, in line with the World Health Organization’s 2030 goals. This decision, welcomed by all public health stakeholders, demonstrates a strong political will to place access to healthcare at the
heart of national priorities. The challenge now is to turn this opportunity into reality for all Cameroonians living with the virus, by intensifying testing and removing the last barriers that still hinder access to care.
