Programme description

Title: German-Cameroonian health and AIDS programme
Commissioned by: Bundesministerium für Wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ)
Country: Cameroon
Lead executing agency: Ministère de la Santé Publique (MINSANTÉ)
Overall term: September 2002 to December 2014

Context

Poor and weak population groups especially do not receive adequate treatment in Cameroon. Furthermore, they do not protect themselves effectively against avoidable diseases.

Objective

Population and health-care services in selected regions contribute to the socially equitable development of the health system.

Poverty-induced illnesses such as cholera and tuberculosis are less widespread and their treatment is enhanced. Appropriately equipped medical facilities are on hand. Access to health-care services is improved both in geographic and financial terms.

Population groups at increased risk for HIV/AIDS, such as youth and women, are better able to protect themselves and, if they do fall ill, can access effective treatment. The number of early-age pregnancies is reduced.

Approach

German assistance is geared to Cameroon’s sectoral policy (National Health Strategy). The approach is discussed and agreed on as far as possible with all donors and actors. Close cooperation exists between GIZ (until December 2010 GTZ and DED) and KfW development bank.

A strategic priority is on supporting the Ministry of Health in the formation and implementation of a sector-wide approach (SWAP), so as to facilitate and accelerate the attainment of the objectives set out for the health-care system.

Support is being channelled into the establishment of local health insurance funds and into activities designed to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and prevent early-age pregnancies.

Regionally and locally (northwest, southwest region and littoral region), the GIZ programme is working closely with state authorities and with bilateral and multi-national partners. The availability of publicly and privately funded health-care services is improved. Risk groups undergo targeted awareness-raising and are mobilised, so as to raise the level of service access and use.

Within the context of cooperation with the World Bank and other bilateral and multilateral donors, a GIZ staff member has been seconded to the World Bank office and is preparing a Sector-Wide Approach (SWAP).

Results achieved so far

The targeted combination of government consultancy and regional as well as local intervention is effective at all levels.
Cameroon has developed a coherent national strategy in the health-care sector.

In regional terms, medicine-supply structures have been established for both state and private services in the three provinces. The infrastructure and equipment status of health-care centres has been improved and their functional capacity enhanced. A maintenance system is now being set up and the availability of technical apparatus is on the increase. 

At the local level, the population’s capacity for self-help has been improved. Self-help groups have been set up for people with HIV and young, unmarried mothers, with the formation of national-level umbrella associations. More than 12,000 people have joined in local health insurance funds, thus reducing their financial risk in the case of illness.

There has been a substantial drop in the number of new cholera infections in Douala.