Manaouda says malaria treatment still inadequate due to insufficient funding

By Noela EBOB BISONG

Cameroon’s Minister of Public Health, Manaouda Malachie has said malaria treatment in the country remains inadequate due to insufficient funding. He was speaking last June 12 in Yaounde, during a special parliamentary session on malaria. The Health boss reiterated that despite progress in the fight, population coverage for prevention and treatment remains inadequate due to insufficient funding.

The Ministry’s budget witnessed an increase by 11.88% in 2024, from FCFA 228.168 billion in 2023 to FCFA 255.281 billion in 2024. Nonetheless, the health budget has never exceeded 7% of the state budget, far from the 15% target set by the 2000 Abuja Declaration.

During the June 12 special parliamentary session on malaria, members of the Parliamentary Working Group on Health Financing in Cameroon pushed for a budget increase, demanding that Ministers allocate 1% of their budgets to the fight against malaria.

Cameroon in need of FCFA186bn to combat malaria

Cameroon is still found within ‘the most malaria-affected states’. Following a ministerial conference in Yaoundé in March this year, Cameroon alongside other ‘most malaria-affected states’ signed the “Yaoundé Declaration”. The document commits to increasing national resources for malaria control and boosting overall investment in the health sector. It also calls on the international community to increase financial aid and make it “more predictable,” aligning with national priorities.

However, the country’s ministry of Public Health has revealed that Cameroon is in need of at least FCFA 186 billion to fuel its fight against malaria. The funding is in line with its 6th National Strategic Plan for Malaria Control for 2024-2028.

Reports from the ministry reveal that of the FCFA 336.95 billion needed for the planned interventions,  only FCFA 149.98 billion had been raised by April 2024, leaving a financial gap of more than FCFA 186 billion (55%) of the total amount.

During the commemoration of World Malaria Day recently, Minister Manaouda Malachie said there is need to secure the needed funds in the malaria programme.

According to reports, Cameroon has been struggling in the fight against malaria, being significantly challenged in securing the required funding. For instance, in the previous Strategic Plan period (2021-2023), Cameroon was only able to mobilise FCFA 132 billion of the FCFA 232 billion needed, resulting in a deficit of FCFA 100 billion. Minister Malachie has thus emphasised the urgent need to close this gap to ensure equitable and universal access to malaria prevention and treatment interventions.

Interventions for the 2024-2028 period are programmed to cover health facilities and communities through polyvalent community health workers. The targeted funding must ensure the availability of medical supplies at all levels, facilitating the efficient and swift treatment of confirmed malaria cases.