World AIDS Day: Study reveals drop in HIV infections among youth.

It took place under the theme: “Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the AIDS Response”.

The Minister of Public Health, Dr Manaouda Malachie, presided the event. Several members of government and a delegation of international partners committed to supporting Cameroon’s ambition of ending AIDS by 2030, attended the event. 

Per the survey conducted between September 2024 and January 2025, targeting Cameroonians aged 15 to 49, HIV incidence among people aged 15 to 49 dropped from 0.24% to 0.15%. 

Beyond the drop in incidence, the study reported that HIV prevalence now stands at 2.6%, a notable decline from the 3.4%. Officials said the drop is a major milestone in the nation’s decades-long fight against the virus.

The data also confirms that women remain disproportionately affected, being four times more likely to contract the virus compared to men.

The survey noted that one of the most significant indicators of progress is viral load suppression, which has reached 72% among all individuals who tested positive, and an impressive 93% among people living with HIV, PLHIV, who are on antiretroviral therapy, ART.

Per health experts, the rates reflect improved access to treatment, increased adherence, and the overall effectiveness to response strategy. 

The improvement, it was stated, are strides of over two decades of sustained action by government, local communities, civil society and international development partners.

Minister outline country’s global funding crisis

Dr Manaouda Malachie said the report reflects the determination of Cameroon to meet the Sustainable Development Goal of ending AIDS by 2030, despite the many challenges that remain.

He warned that despite the positive results, the global AIDS response has faced significant disruption in 2025 due to a historic funding crisis, notably the suspension of US aid in several affected countries, threatening gains made over the years.

The minister said the theme calls on all to rethink strategies in the face of unprecedented financial challenges.

He expressed gratitude to partners, civil society organisations and frontline medical teams whose efforts, despite limited resources, have ensured continuity in prevention, treatment and care.

Gov't's measures to sustain progress

In response to the funding shifts, the minister said government has implemented a series of mitigation mechanisms, including an incident management system designed to ensure uninterrupted HIV services nationwide. 

He also mentioned increased domestic funding to fill critical gaps, integrating HIV services with other health programmes to maximise efficiency and reduce operational costs.

“For nearly two decades, multisectoral interventions have allowed our country to make significant progress. This improvement reflects not only a reduction in new infections, but also a decrease in AIDS-related deaths, and a rise in life expectancy for people living with HIV,” Dr Manaouda noted.

The minister equally highlighted that the country’s antiretroviral treatment programme which he said continues to record strong performance, reinforced by data from the CAMPHIA survey showing rising viral load suppression.

“These advances confirm the effectiveness of our ARV treatments,” he said, while announcing that government is strengthening prevention strategies and improving care for advanced HIV disease. 

The measures, he added. will complement the Universal Health Coverage, UHC scheme, which guarantees free HIV services in the country, as a key component of President Biya’s vision for equitable health access.

Drums inclusion, acceptance, shared responsibility

While celebrating national progress, Dr Manaouda insisted that the fight against HIV is far from over as stigma, discrimination, misinformation and inequalities continue to undermine efforts, particularly among adolescents, young women and marginalized groups.

“Eliminating HIV requires acceptance, respect, and care for all,” he stressed, while underscoring the need to restore confidence by combating stigma and ensuring services reach the most vulnerable populations.

He insisted on the need to strengthen postnatal monitoring, improve intervention, availability of medical supplies, and optimise access to viral load testing. 

The minister also emphasised that data reporting mechanisms must be harmonised to guarantee reliable monitoring and decision-making.

Cameroon, he said, remains committed to upholding the human rights principles enshrined in its constitution, particularly the right to health and equitable access to life-saving services.

Pledges to sustain the HIV response beyond 2030

Dr Manaouda also emphasised on the urgency of adopting new, transformative approaches that ensure the sustainability of Cameroon’s HIV programme well beyond 2030. 

He talked of developing and evaluating a national roadmap with active participation from all stakeholders, government agencies, civil society, PLHIV networks, key populations and development partners.

Dr Manaouda reiterated the need for increased domestic financing, particularly with the upcoming bilateral agreement with the US government and the Global Fund’s GC8 grant cycle. 

Such, he said, requires Cameroon to scale up its financial contributions and establish an interministerial working group dedicated to adjusting the state budget to meet future obligations.

“Our message to partners is one of confidence. Confidence in the political will driving our national response, and confidence in the transparent and effective use of resources allocated to us. We will ensure that decisions taken for the benefit of our population are respected at all levels of the health pyramid,” the minister stated.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3644 of Wednesday December 03, 2025