The Divisional Officer of Yaounde I, Harouna Nyandji Mgbatou, has closed 40 health centres operating in the Djoungolo health district, including 16 in Nkolondom.

The information is contained in a decision of the administrative authority signed on 22 February. The latter specifies that these health facilities are closed “until further notice”, and that the public security commissioners of the 1st, 6th, 10th and 17th districts and the special commissioner of Yaounde I are responsible, each in his or her own area, for the execution of this decision.

Most of these health facilities operate illegally (lack of authorisation to create, open and serve the public), employ untrained and unqualified staff, work in dubious and dangerous hygienic conditions, and buy street medicines, among other grievances. On 20 July, the Minister of Public Health , Manaouda Malachie, called on the actors in the sector to address the ‘resurgence’ of clandestine health centres in major urban centres, including Yaounde and Douala.

The member of the government announced the launch, “in the coming days”, of a “vast campaign to clean up the health map throughout the national territory”. He explained that the objective is to guarantee the health of Cameroonians, insofar as the practices in place in these centres