Africa CDC Virtual Meeting: Health minister calls for rapid funding, access to vaccine candidates.

The strategic meeting drew health ministers from the 55 African Union member States. Discussions touched on pressing collective measures to tackle the Ebola outbreak and strengthen preparedness levels across the continent.

During the dialogue, Minister Manaouda asserted that the country’s health preparedness has been on alert since May. He expressed Cameroon’s solidarity with nations affected by the disease.

Minister Manaouda major issues requiring attention are rapid and equitable access to candidate vaccines and experimental treatments against the Bundibugyo strain, for which no vaccine or treatment has yet been approved.

He further urged participants to ensure that medical countermeasures could be positioned in Central Africa for timely deployment.

The minister also highlighted Cameroon’s exposure to the risk of cross-border transmission. He added that the State was finalizing a budgeted roadmap to guide preparedness activities over the next 90 days in line with the International Health Regulations.

Manaouda underscored the need to quickly mobilize resources for countries on the front line of the outbreak.

90-day roadmap

His outing follows series of measures engaged by government to prevent importation of the disease. The minister recently toured the Yaounde and Douala airports to ensure strict preventive measures are put in place to screen those coming into the country. 

There was also a meeting in Yaounde on October 22, where reinforced surveillance and emergency preparedness measures were announced due to an outbreak in neighbouring Nigeria.

The minister had also chaired a follow-up meeting of the committee responsible for preparing for the potential importation of Ebola cases.

During the session, the Director of Disease Control and Epidemics, Dr Esso Endale Linda Lovet Augustine Julia, had presented a strategic 90-day roadmap to be implemented from November 2, 2026, to January 31, 2027.

According to the ministry, the plan combines all regions of the country and 13 focal points from various government administrations under a common objective: to prevent the virus from entering Cameroon and ensure a rapid and effective response in the event of an alert.

Priority areas for implementation include coordination, epidemiological surveillance, investigations, rapid response teams, laboratory diagnosis, case management, infection prevention and control, and risk communication.

By the end of the roadmap's implementation, Cameroon seeks the capacity to isolate, confirm, and manage an imported Ebola case, with particular attention directed toward land border crossings with Nigeria and the country's airports.

So far, reports have revealed a cumulative toll of 10,000 cases and 4,000 deaths across affected countries since the outbreak began.

By Buka Sharon

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3955 of Friday October 30, 2026