Yaoundé, Cameroon – November 2024. A delegation from the West African Health Organization (WAHO), led by the Director-General, Dr. Melchior Athanase Joël Codjovi AÏSSI, participated in the 1st Forum on Primary Health Care and the Institutionalization of Community Health in Cameroon. The delegation also included Dr. Félix AGBLA, Executive Assistant to the Director-General of WAHO, Dr. Namoudou KEITA, Head of the WAHO In-Lead Capacity Project, as well as two technical experts.
The forum, organized by the Ministry of Public Health, was more than just a meeting: it was a multisectoral advocacy event aimed at highlighting community health as a key focus of public health policy in Cameroon; promoting intersectoral collaboration so that every ministry and stakeholder fully plays its role in improving health determinants; mobilizing decentralized territorial communities to integrate community health into their local development priorities, and making community health a shared responsibility, with all actors from citizens to institutions actively contributing.
The forum stands out for its inclusive, participatory, and multisectoral approach. In addition to health sector stakeholders, it mobilized representatives from various ministries, including those of Water and Energy, Urban Planning, and Economics, which play a vital role in improving public health. Beyond state institutions, the forum also addressed decentralized territorial communities (DTC), mayors, regional council presidents, as well as community and religious leaders. These figures play a fundamental role in the ownership of local initiatives aimed at improving sanitary conditions.
Thematic workshops were organized to explore topics such as: financing primary health care; empowering community health workers; combating preventable diseases through coordinated community action; the role of traditional and religious leaders in changing health behaviors. This forum marks a decisive step in building an inclusive health system based on cooperation and solidarity. By integrating community health as a cornerstone, Cameroon aims to ensure that every citizen, community, and sector plays its part. "Health should no longer be seen as just a matter for the Ministry of Health. It is a shared responsibility, and it is together that we can build a healthier Cameroon, for today and for future generations," stated Cameroon’s Minister of Health, Dr. Malachie MANAOUDA.
This event provided a strategic platform to strengthen regional cooperation in community health and primary health care. The Director-General of WAHO seized this opportunity to engage in discussions with the Minister of Health of Cameroon as well as key technical and inancial partners operating in Central and West Africa, including UNICEF and WHO/AFRO.
Discussions highlighted the importance of community participation, the engagement of decentralized communities, and the need to move beyond viewing health solely from a medical perspective. This reinforces WAHO's initiative, along with its technical and inancial partners, to reach a consensus on standards and norms in community health, paving the way for strengthened cooperation. WAHO's mission to Cameroon reinforced the recognition of its role in harmonizing regional efforts to improve access to quality healthcare. The discussions held during this session will help to:
- Pave the way for potential cooperation with several other technical and financial partners;
- Facilitate exchanges of experiences between West and Central African countries;
- Mobilize resources for concrete actions beneiting the most disadvantaged populations.