Cameroon launches 5-Year RMNCAH-Nut strategy to improve maternal health

CAMEROON – Cameroon is preparing to launch a comprehensive five-year National Strategy on Reproductive, Maternal, Child, Adolescent, and Nutrition Health (RMNCAH-Nut) on March 13, 2025.

Developed with the support of Africa CDC and its partners, this strategy will guide the country’s health initiatives from 2025 to 2030, aligning with global goals, especially Sustainable Development Goal 3 on health and well-being.

This strategy aims to enhance maternal healthcare services, improve data collection, reinforce policy implementation, and foster better stakeholder coordination.

At the same time, Cameroon continues to face serious maternal health challenges. Despite advances in medical care, the country still has one of the highest maternal and infant mortality rates in the region.

 For instance, the World Bank’s Gender Data Portal reported that in 2020, approximately 438 women per 100,000 live births died due to pregnancy-related complications.

Although this figure dropped slightly to 406 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2022, progress remains slow, and significant risks persist.

Moreover, limited access to quality reproductive care, high adolescent pregnancy rates—where 108 out of every 1,000 girls aged 15-19 give birth—and ongoing nutritional deficits continue to endanger the lives of mothers and their newborns.

Without urgent and sustained interventions, these preventable tragedies will likely continue, further straining families and communities.

In anticipation of the official launch, Africa CDC has played a key role in refining the strategy through a technical validation workshop.

This event brought together 33 experts, including representatives from Cameroon’s Ministry of Health and other critical partners, ensuring that the document is scientifically sound, locally relevant, and actionable at the national level.

Fidel Gabo, Head of the Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health Division at Africa CDC, emphasized that assisting countries in developing strategic health plans aligned with continental priorities is a core part of their mission.

Cameroon is one of the first countries to finalize such a strategy, setting a model for other African nations.

Preparations are underway for the official launch, along with efforts to mobilize resources for effective implementation.

The national strategy aligns with broader continental initiatives, as shown by the African Union’s recent approval of a five-year reproductive health strategy for 2022-2026.

This strategy focuses on several key areas, including adolescent sexual and reproductive health, maternal and newborn care, family planning, prevention and management of reproductive system cancers, reduction of gender-based violence, and safe abortion care.

A continental priority assessment has also highlighted critical gaps in reproductive health financing, policy frameworks, and healthcare workforce capacity.

Consequently, Cameroon, along with Lesotho, was among the first to be selected for targeted technical and financial support to develop national strategies that align with this broader framework.

The strategy has been translated into English to make it accessible to a diverse group of stakeholders, including policymakers, healthcare workers, civil society organizations, and local communities.

Additionally, 1,500 high-quality printed copies will be distributed at national, regional, and district levels.

Sign up HERE to receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa and beyond. Also, follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.