The corona virus pandemic has exposed the need to strengthen our health system with a new perspective that supports universal health coverage. One key area that has brought this to light is the disproportionate impact on aged and people with pre-existing conditions. Just like Socioeconomic status affects health, chronic conditions have been shown to significantly affect the outcome of co-infection with COVID-19. The pandemic has also disrupted services for people living with NCDs. Protecting the health of people living with NCDs through policy is critical. Efforts to address COVID-19 needs to concern itself and attend to the inequities brought about by pre-existing health damaging conditions. The Cameroon COVID-19 response strategies need to be strengthened to include chronic conditions.

This assessment that has been conducted by the Cameroon NCD Alliance has uncovered the hidden gap in policy/strategy. Using the results of this survey to spark the necessary dialogue as well as action by different stakeholders to address the disruption as well as health system gaps in chronic condition care in Cameroon during and beyond COVID-19. The results show that there were no specific actions mandated towards people living with NCDs at the level of policy makers. However, several stakeholders conducted innovative efforts such as contacting patients via phone calls and providing information as well as Personal protective equipment. While these efforts are laudable, they are insufficient to support people living with NCDs Hence the Recommendations of this report.

This work was made possible with the support of the NCD Alliance Civil Society Solidarity Fund on NCDs and COVID-19, made possible thanks to the generous financial contributions of The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, Access Accelerated, Takeda, AstraZeneca and Upjohn (Pfizer).

We invite all stakeholders to take cue from this report and invigorate their actions to reduce mortality from NCDs due to COVID-19 and vice versa, and also to join efforts to strengthen the health system.

Read the Report: English Version
Read the Report: French Version

Jean Claude Mbanya, MD, PhD, MRCP (UK), FRCP (London), FTWAS
Chair, CACSNA