The Minister of Public Health, Dr. Manaouda Malchie and the UNFPA Resident Representative, Dr. Justin Koffi, signed this 21st December 2022 in Yaounde, a country compact within the UNFPA Supplies Program namely: Partnership Agreement for the Acquisition & Management of Contraceptive and Vital Maternal Health Products.
UNFPA Supplies Program has supported Cameroon since 2017 with approximately USD 12million$ worth of sexual and reproductive health commodities to reduce unmet need in family planning and maternal mortality ratio. The UNFPA Supplies Partnership is UNFPA's strategic vehicle for improving reproductive health commodity security around the world. This clearly means that each person can choose, obtain, and use quality reproductive health products whenever they need them. The aim is to best harness the momentum of strategic partnership for the identification and implementation of transformative and sustainable solutions to strengthen supply chain systems and leverage funding opportunities.
This partnership agreement between UNFPA and Cameroon highlights above all the commitment of the Government to participate in the funding of reproductive health products through domestic funds, a
guarantee of financial sustainability for the availability of these products at the last mile. Data from the 2018 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) in Cameroon reveal that the maternal mortality ratio remains high, at 406 deaths per 100,000 live births; presently the rate of unmet need in family planning is at 23%; and domestic violence affects 32% of women aged 15-49.
UNFPA in alignment with SND30 and the Health Sector Strategy, and in the quest for the Three Transformative Results in Cameroon, is committed to continuing to provide technical and financial support to the Cameroonian Ministry of Public Health.
