18 months of Universal Health Coverage in Cameroon: Transforming Lives and Health Care

On April 12, 2023, Cameroon launched its Universal Health Coverage (UHC) health system reform, a transformative effort to provide equitable access to quality and affordable health care for all Cameroonians, particularly the most vulnerable populations—such as people living with HIV (PLHIV). As we commemorate Universal Health Day, the program’s first 18 months offer an opportunity to reflect on its impact, the changes in health care delivery, and the voices of those it serves.

Building trust in UHC

A still of Cameroonian social media influencer Ulrich Takam taken from a video promoting the country’s UHC program. Photo credit: Timothé Chevaux

“To make the enrollment process as accessible as possible, we developed a digital system,” explains Dr. Simon Noudji, Communications Lead for the National Technical Committee for UHC (NTU-UHC). “People can go to csu.minsante.cm or simply download the app CameroonHealthCoverage (CHC) on their mobile phone, enter their information, and instantly get proof of registration. While physical cards are issued later, proof of registration is all they need to access benefits.”

Despite the convenience of the system, convincing Cameroonians to enroll presented challenges. “There’s a deep-seated mistrust of free services; people often equate ‘free’ with low quality,” Dr. Noudji adds. “Effective communication was critical to overcoming this skepticism.”

With support from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Reaching Impact, Saturation, and Epidemic Control (RISE) Program, has played a critical role in supporting Cameroon’s UHC efforts. Led by Jhpiego and implemented in Cameroon by Management Sciences for Health, RISE works closely with local stakeholders to raise awareness and educate communities, particularly youth groups, about the program’s benefits.

Through communications activities, RISE not only highlighted that UHC services matched the quality of previously paid services but also strengthened the capacity for youth to advocate for their health priorities, including reproductive health.

To amplify its reach, the NTU-UHC team partnered with social media influencers and conducted phone campaigns to engage populations without internet access, ensuring that no one was left behind.

Expanding access to quality care

The rollout of the UHC Program has also helped improve the quality of care in health facilities. Mr. Zéphirin Tsomo, a medical staff at the Central Hospital of Yaoundé, notes that UHC has helped improve treatment quality and health outcomes for PLHIV.

With the UHC card, people are no longer tied to a single facility. They can access benefits nationwide, which is a significant advantage.

“For PLHIV, UHC provides reassurance that essential services are not only free but sustainable, keeping them healthy and on treatment” says Mr. Tsomo.

By December 1, 2024, more than 3.4 million people would have enrolled in the UHC program and 481,147 PLHIV receive free access to a wide range of essential HIV services.

For Dr. Mintop, the National Coordinator of the NTU-UHC, there are several perspectives in the implementation of UHC: “The work is in progress to expand and optimize the scope of services to include diseases like type 1 diabetes, hepatitis and to intensify efforts to reach the most underserved populations,” he says. “Our goal is to ensure that no one is left behind on the road to better health care.”