Cameroon’s Public Health Minister and UNFPA’s Resident Representative officially signed on Wednesday 21st December 2022 in Yaounde a partnership agreement that will ease the supply chain of reproductive health commodities.

On Wednesday 21st December 2022 in Yaounde, Cameroon’s capital, the United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA reaffirmed its support to the Cameroon government in curbing the multiple needs and gaps in the domain of sexual and reproductive health and rights, SRHR.

The government, represented by the Public Health Minister, Dr. Manaouda Malachie sealed a fruitful partnership with UNFPA’’s Resident Representative, Dr. Justin Koffi. The signing of this new partnership agreement is aimed at financing, supplying, and distributing reproductive health commodities. Both parties are committed to reinforcing communication and strengthening stakeholders’ capacities, including community and civil society actors.

A fresh impetus in Reproductive Health

Speaking at the ceremony in the main conference hall of the Ministry of public health, UNFPA’s Resident Representative, Dr. Justin Koffi said thanks to the UNFPA supplies newly signed partnership, the population will easily obtain quality and secured products.

“Since 2017, the date of its launch, Cameroon has benefited from total support of more than Twelve Million US dollars, or just over 8 billion FCFA for the acquisition of contraceptives and other vital maternal health products. And since January 2022, the program has adopted a new operating model, which promises to strengthen performance and accountability toward the program’s strategic objectives. One of the features of the Phase III model is the  »Country Compact », or simply  »Partnership Agreement, »  He said.

Moreover, as indicated by UNFPA’s Country Representative, Dr. Koffi, this partnership highlights above all the commitment of the Government to participate in the financing of reproductive health products through domestic funds, a guarantee of financial sustainability for the availability of these products at the last mile.

Dr. Koffi stated that in a recent publication released by UNFPA, it is shown that investments in maternal health and family planning can achieve returns on investment. Also, for 1 USD invested in maternal health and family planning, a gain of 8.4 USD is achieved.

Curbing maternal & Infant mortality rates

On his part, Public Health Minister, Dr. Manaouda Malachie saluted the fruitful and long-standing cooperation ties between Cameroon and UNFPA and which has recorded strides over the past years.

Minister Manaouda said this is visible through 2018 Demographic and Health Survey, DHS, which shows a decrease in the rate of maternal mortality ratio standing at 406 deaths out of 100.000 lives births, and which today stands at less than 300 deaths per 100.000 live births. 

Even though the Minister praised the palpable results observed in SRHR since 2018, he admitted a lot of efforts are still to be carried out by different actors in the health sector.

He said the capital gain of a society is measured through the well-being of women and men and in a healthy society, development is easily achieved.

In his keynote address, the Public Health patron did not fail to mention the fact that Cameroon is fully engaged in achieving its National Development Strategy Plan by 2030 for more transformative and inclusive development.

This partnership signed stems from the government’s 2020-2030 Health sector strategy and UNFPA’s Three Transformative Results to be achieved by 2030. 

UNFPA’s Three Transformative Results

UNFPA embraces the vision outlined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the targets contained in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. UNFPA has organized its work around three transformative and people-centered results in the period leading up to 2030.

The Three Transformative Results are: Ending preventable maternal deaths; ending the unmet need for family planning; and ending gender-based violence and all harmful practices, including female genital mutilation and child, early and forced marriage.

Elise Kenimbeni