At visit to Yaounde health emergency centre: Dr Nkengasong says US committed to promoting global health security.

This global health security, he said, is one of the three core missions of the US Department of State’s newest bureau-the Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy, which he leads.

Ambassador Nkengasong made the remark during a visit to the Public Health Emergency Operation Centre, PHEOC, in Yaounde, yesterday, which was constructed with the support of the US government. 

The visiting US official was accompanied to the centre by the US Ambassador to Cameroon, Christopher John Lamora; the Minister of Public Health, Dr Manaouda Malachie; and a host of other collaborators.

Speaking during the visit, Ambassador Nkengasong said the promotion of global health security is one of the three missions of the Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy, launched by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken last August 1. 

The new bureau aims to promote global health security, leverage and help coordinate US foreign assistance and promote international cooperation as well as lead US diplomatic engagement in strengthening global health security.

“When Secretary Blinken and I announced that he was establishing the Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy, he highlighted the fact that health security is national security,” Dr Nkengasong said. 

He further mentioned that “pandemics like COVID-19, HIV/AIDS and other infectious disease outbreaks are not just a health challenge. They have political, developmental, economic and security dimensions that the world must addressed”. 

Highlighting that the US government takes global health security seriously, he insisted that, the US has already invested 1.6 billion US dollar in line with this. He further illustrated that an outbreak in a community becomes a threat for everyone irrespective of location.

“Within 22 days COVID-19 spread from a city in China to over 66 countries with serious health, social and economic global impact,” he added.

Hails gov’t’s handling of health emergency outbreaks 

He also used the opportunity to salute the efforts of government in handling the different emergency outbreaks like COVID-19, cholera, measles, monkey pox amongst others. 

Stating that the US will continue supporting the public health system of Cameroon and transformative partnership, he called on government to engage civil society, partners and other stakeholders to further push the fight for an end to the HIV/AIDS by 2030.

Speaking about the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, PEPFAR programme, the Global AIDS Coordinator said the PEPFAR will be celebrating its 20 year anniversary with so many positive results in Cameroon.

Meanwhile, he continued that 351 Billion FCFA has been invested to strengthen the health system of Cameroon for the past 12 years or so, through the PERFAR programme.

Enter health minister 

In his keynote address, the Minister of Public Health, Dr Manaouda Malachie, thanked the US government for the continuous support to the different health initiative in Cameroon.

Minister Manaouda stated that the huge investment of the US government has contributed to the positive indicators of disease and epidemiological evolution in the country.

While assuring that efforts made in the ground with partners are yielding fruits in most parts of the country while new strategy are being introduced to thrive for elimination of HIV/AIDS in Cameroon.

He also elaborate on the different measures taken by government to contain and handle health outbreaks and pandemic which contribute to the global health security. He cited that inclusion of the treatment for HIV/AIDS in the health package of the Universal Health Coverage phase I, launched in Cameroon last April. 

During the visit, the Coordinator of PHEOC, Dr Etoundi Mballa, equally made a presentation on the achievement and challenges faced by Cameroon in the implementation of the Global Health Security Agenda, GHSA from 2015 to 2023.