Pandemic fund: Gov’t secures over 13 billion FCFA to strengthen health security.

The announcement was at the centre of discussions Thursday, December 4. This was during an audience which the Minister of Public Health, Dr Manaouda Malachie, granted the Resident Representative of the World Health Organisation, WHO, to Cameroon Dr Magaran Monzon Bagayoko.

Speaking during the exchange, Dr Bagayoko congratulated Cameroon on its eligibility and noted that the country now enters a crucial phase of finalising the grant process. 

He stressed the importance of aligning strategies among partners, especially as the WHO is not designated an implementing agency for the current cycle.

Dr Bagayoko said this is unlike the United Nations Children Funds, UNICEF, Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO and the World Bank. 

He recommended that activities initially planned for the WHO be reassigned to an institution with strong expertise in health security, given that the Pandemic Fund is guided by the One Health approach linking human, animal and environmental health.

The WHO official also proposed priority areas ahead of the upcoming conference on the mobilisation of Arab funds. 

These, he said, include improved flood management systems, climate change adaptation, and enhanced care for vulnerable populations, particularly in the northern regions facing recurrent crises. 

He further suggested a preparatory meeting between the minister and the Saudi Ambassador to clarify national priorities and build diplomatic momentum.

To reinforce collaboration and reenergise WHO action in Cameroon, Dr Bagayoko proposed organising a National Health Conference in 2026 to serve as a platform for evaluating current public health interventions and shaping the next phase of Universal Health Coverage, UHC. 

Minister Manaouda welcomed the idea and instructed his technical teams to assess the feasibility and begin preliminary planning.

The member of government also reassured the WHO official that technical teams at the Ministry of Public Health are already developing a coordinated and coherent submission to ensure Cameroon fully benefits from the financing window.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3652 of Thursday December 11, 2025