12 million bed nets for distribution in 2015

The Ministry of Public Health is to also step up epidemiological surveillance.

As part of efforts to curb malaria mortality and morbidity, the Ministry of Public Health will in 2015 distribute 12 million treated, long-lasting, mosquito bed nets all over the country.

The Minister, André Mama Fouda, made the disclosure on Wednesday, December 3, 2014, after defending the ministry’s budget of FCFA 207 billion for 2015 before the National Assembly’s Finance Committee.

The amount is split almost equally between capital and recurrent expenditure. The ministry will also focus on epidemiological surveillance to ensure that the influx of foreign refugees into the country does not turn Cameroon into an exporter of new epidemics.

As a result, efforts are underway with the country’s partners to step up vaccination campaigns. The hope is that conflicts in neighbouring countries will soon be over so that refugees can return home, he said.

Mama Fouda promised that work will also begin on the Garoua Reference Hospital next year, while the ratio of medical doctors in Douala and Yaounde and other regional capitals will be gradually bridged.

In this vein, Central Hospitals will be constructed in all regional headquarters and more specialists posted in line with a recent presidential directive. Also, with the Medical Faculty in the University of Bamenda already operational, professors will henceforth be deployed in regions.

Similarly, government is offering incentives to encourage doctors take up service in remote areas, the Minister explained.