Free consultations for children, free malaria treatment, and a drastic reduction in the cost of childbirth and dialysis: Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is transforming people’s daily lives.
In Cameroon, the implementation of Universal Health Coverage (UHC)—launched on April 12, 2023, under the leadership of the Ministry of Public Health and its National Technical Unit (CTN-CSU)—continues to profoundly transform the country’s healthcare landscape. The *Point Hebdo* activity bulletin No. 153 (covering the period from August 31 to September 7, 2026) highlights impressive quantitative progress in both preventive and curative care.
Massive uptake and strengthened prevention
To date, public enrollment in the UHC scheme is accelerating rapidly. With 5,147,187 people enrolled, the program has already reached 89% of its priority target of 5.8 million people by December 2026. This momentum is driven by a reinforced presence of health personnel in the field, evidenced by over 7.6 million home visits conducted by Community Health Workers (CHWs) and the distribution of preventive supplies to nearly 930,000 households.
The preventive and nutritional component is yielding remarkable results among the youngest population: over 2.4 million children aged 0 to 11 months have received Vitamin A supplementation, 4.4 million children have received Mebendazole, and 3 million children have been vaccinated against tuberculosis (BCG) free of charge. Furthermore, support for early breastfeeding initiated within the first hour of life has reached more than 1.2 million newborns. Accessible curative care and direct financial relief.
In terms of curative care, the impact of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) on household purchasing power is significant. Nearly 3 million free consultations have been provided for children aged 0 to 5, enabling the free treatment of over 1.3 million cases of uncomplicated and severe malaria.
Maternal health is also receiving unprecedented support through the “Health Voucher” mechanism. Nearly 2.5 million prenatal consultations have been recorded, and over 463,000 deliveries along with 221,000 C-sections have been covered since
2023 for a flat fee of just 6,000 FCFA per beneficiary, resulting in estimated financial savings of 90% to 95% for families.
Another flagship initiative is the coverage of dialysis treatment. Previously out of reach for many households—with an annual cost of around 520,000 FCFA—dialysis now costs only 15,000 FCFA per year thanks to UHC (representing a 98% saving). More than 1,600 patients benefit from this service regularly, with a total of over 250,000 sessions performed.
Field assessments and future outlook
To maintain the quality of these services, the CTN-CSU continues its field assessment activities, as evidenced by recent inspections of hemodialysis centers at the regional hospitals in Bamenda and Bafoussam. Concurrently, working meetings are ongoing with Regional Health Promotion Funds (FRPS) and sectoral stakeholders to optimize the communication plan, prepare for the upcoming Forum on UHC and health financing, and resolve issues regarding financial disbursement.
