Cameroon: President Biya thwarts hostile narratives and consolidates health sovereignty

The 2026 draft budget for the Ministry of Public Health of Cameroon represents a major strategic undertaking for the state. By presenting an allocation of 391 billion CFA francs, Minister Manaouda Malachie has clarified the objective: to endow the country with a modernized, sovereign, and resilient health system capable of meeting national challenges without excessive reliance on external support. The goal is to structurally reposition the state in control of its essential functions.

Some public opinion holds that President Paul Biya is weakened or unable to fully assume his sovereign responsibilities.

This narrative, echoed by certain domestic actors and amplified by external influences, seeks to discredit the state’s capacity to conduct large-scale reforms.

However, the facts point to a different reality: Cameroon is advancing, methodically, on strategic projects.

The acceleration of Universal Health Coverage, the extension of the Health Voucher scheme, the modernization of Integrated Health Centers, Medicalized Health Centers, and district hospitals, along with the revitalization of the Bamenda and Buea Regional Hospitals, demonstrate rigorous planning and continuity of action.

An analysis of this budget reveals a coherent political direction aimed at reducing structural vulnerabilities and strengthening the country’s decision-making autonomy.

The progressive “endogenization” of resources is one of its most significant aspects.

By strengthening the national pharmaceutical industry, promoting traditional medical knowledge, and intensifying the fight against counterfeit medicines, the state is affirming its sovereign choice.

This approach is not ideological; it responds to the strategic necessity of controlling critical health supply chains to guarantee collective security, stabilize the economy, and consolidate national confidence.

In the battle of narratives, this budget plays a decisive role. It counters reductive interpretations that portray public action as stagnant, hesitant, or disconnected from reality.

Even if some question  the capacity of President Paul Biya to drive these transformations, the institutional continuity proves that a state can function and modernize through robust mechanisms and a structured vision.

This ability to advance, despite criticism, constitutes a major political asset.

Cameroon is no longer merely managing health emergencies; it is building the foundations for lasting sovereignty.

The 2026 budget is not an accounting exercise, but a strategic act affirming the state’s mastery, vision, and determination to prepare the nation for the exigencies of tomorrow.

Baba GADO