Our Vision for Health Care

• African Infrastructure Development Index (AIDI):
  Cameroon is ranked 27th in Africa and 155th globally, reflecting challenges in energy, transportation, water, and ICT development.
   
• Global Innovation Index (2025):
  In the “Infrastructure” component, Cameroon ranks 134th worldwide, showing significant gaps in technological readiness and support for innovation.
   
• Vulnerability/Infrastructure Ranking:
  Cameroon is positioned around 95th globally, highlighting systemic weaknesses in maintaining resilient infrastructure.
   
• Fiber-Optic Development:
  Cameroon ranked last (93rd out of 93 countries) in the global fiber-optic development index (2024), underlining poor internet connectivity and digital infrastructure.
   

• Facilities:
  As of 2016, Cameroon had about 5,166 health facilities (both public and private).
   
• Access:
  On average, there are 2.19 health facilities per 10,000 inhabitants, with a high concentration in urban areas. Many rural communities face long travel distances to reach hospitals or specialized care.
   
• Workforce Shortages:
   
  • Approximately 1 doctor per 11,135 people.
     
  • Approximately 1 nurse per 3,157 people.
    This shortage severely affects service delivery, especially in rural areas.
     
• Resources and Equipment:
  Many health centers lack essential medical equipment, proper maintenance, and adequate staffing. Specialized services such as surgery, imaging, and advanced diagnostics are often unavailable outside of major cities.
   

• Preventable Diseases:
  Malaria, maternal complications, and infectious diseases remain among the leading causes of death, even though many are preventable with stronger healthcare systems.
   
• Access Inequality:
  Rural populations are disproportionately affected due to limited facilities, poor road networks, and lack of specialized care.
   
• Trust and Confidence in the System:
   
  • Many middle- and upper-class Cameroonians travel abroad (to Nigeria, South Africa, Europe, or India) for surgery, advanced treatments, or even basic diagnostics.
     
  • This reflects both a lack of confidence in local healthcare and the inadequacy of current infrastructure to meet demand.    

 Healthcare Vision 2050 is our national roadmap to overcome these barriers and build a healthcare system that ranks among the Top 20 globally and Top 5 in Africa. This vision is not just about constructing hospitals; it is about creating a system that is accessible, affordable, innovative, and trusted by every Cameroonian.

To achieve world-class standards, our target is to reach 1 doctor for every 500 people and 1 nurse or health professional for every 200 people, comparable to countries like Germany and Singapore.

This will require training at least 100,000 new doctors and 250,000 nurses and allied health professionals over the next 25 years.

4000 Doctors and 10,000 nurses annually.

We will build new medical universities and expand existing ones, while also forming partnerships with international institutions to accelerate learning and skills transfer. Retaining this workforce is just as important as training them. To stop brain drain, Cameroon will provide competitive salaries, housing packages, research funding, and opportunities for regulated private practice. These incentives will ensure that our brightest minds choose to remain and serve at home.

Today, many rural communities must travel long distances to access even basic healthcare. Our vision is that by 2050, no Cameroonian will travel more than 30 minutes to receive healthcare. To achieve this, we will build 100 new regional hospitals and more than 1,000 community clinics across the country. These facilities will be equipped to handle diagnostics, maternity services, emergency care, and surgical operations.

In addition to physical facilities, technology will play a transformative role. Cameroon will implement nationwide electronic medical records (EMR) to create continuity of care. Patients will be able to access their records at any hospital or clinic in the country. Telemedicine platforms will connect rural patients with specialists in reference hospital in the urban areas, and even abroad. 

We will also adopt AI-powered diagnostic systems to improve early detection of diseases such as cancer and heart conditions. To ensure remote areas are not left behind, Cameroon will deploy medical drones to deliver vaccines, blood, and medicines where roads cannot reach.

Healthcare is an investment in the nation’s strength and prosperity. Currently, Cameroon spends about 4–5% of GDP on healthcare, which is insufficient to meet the needs of a growing population. To build a world-class system, we will increase health expenditure to 10–12% of GDP, matching the levels of top-performing healthcare nations such as Norway and Sweden.

A key component of this vision will be the establishment of a National Health Insurance Program. This program will provide universal coverage for all citizens, ensuring that healthcare is not a privilege for the few but a right for all. No Cameroonian should face financial ruin because of medical bills. Public-private partnerships will play a crucial role in this transformation, bringing both innovation and sustainability. We will also design innovative financing mechanisms, such as diaspora bonds and donor-backed funds, to supplement government resources and guarantee long-term stability.

Currently, thousands of Cameroonians travel abroad to Nigeria, South Africa, India, or Europe for advanced treatments and surgeries. This outward flow drains resources from families and from the nation itself. By 2050, our goal is for Cameroon to become a medical tourism hub for Central and West Africa, attracting patients from across the region.

To achieve this, we will create world-class centers of excellence dedicated to specialized care. These centers will cover cardiology, oncology, orthopedics, neurology, and pediatrics. They will be built with cutting-edge technology, staffed with highly trained specialists, and accredited to international standards. By creating these institutions, Cameroonians will no longer need to leave the country for advanced medical care. Instead, we will keep our patients and their spending within our borders while attracting international patients who trust our system.
 

• Economic Growth: The healthcare sector alone could add $2B–5B annually to GDP through jobs, medical tourism, and pharmaceutical production.
   
• Job Creation: Over 400,000 jobs directly and indirectly in healthcare (doctors, nurses, lab techs, admin staff, suppliers).
   
• Social Impact: Life expectancy rises exceeds 80years, maternal mortality drops by 80%, and preventable diseases are nearly eradicated. By 2052, Cameroon will have a healthcare system where life expectancy exceeds 80 years
   
• Global Standing: Cameroon ranks among the top 5 in Africa for healthcare infrastructure and quality. Top 20 globally and. Our hospitals will be modern and world-class, our workforce skilled and motivated, and our technology integrated and innovative.