VZCZCXRO9810
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHYD #0865/01 2871251
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 141251Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0349
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0249
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC 0003
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 YAOUNDE 000865 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/C, ACCRA FOR JEANNIE FRIEDMANN 
DEPT FOR USAID 
USDOC FOR ITA - K BURRESS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KHIV KOCI SOCI PGOV CM
SUBJECT: CAMEROON: A HEALTH UPDATE 
 
REF: A. 08 YAOUNDE 877 
     ¶B. YAOUNDE 357 
     ¶C. YAOUNDE 703 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Government of Cameroon (GRC) has not 
yet offered a solution to a possible 
anti-retroviral drug (ARV) shortage, although the Central 
Drug Depository may use its reserves to finance ARVs for 
additional quarter.  Although four H1N1 cases were reported 
in August, the Pasteur Institute has confirmed that no 
additional cases have been reported.  Cameroon was recently 
included in a USAID-funded project covering Neglected 
Tropical Diseases, implemented in-country by Helen Keller 
International. A cholera outbreak in the Extreme North and 
North regions has reportedly left 19 dead, according to 
government sources.  END SUMMARY. 
 
ARV Crisis Still Looming 
------------------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) As reported ref B, Cameroon faces an imminent 
shortage of anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs, likely to affect 
about 60,000 people living with HIV/AIDS, who have until now 
had access to free ARVs.  The GRC has not actively sought a 
solution to this shortage in past months.  The government 
held a roundtable for large-scale business owners, requesting 
public-private partnerships to cover some ARV funding costs. 
After much prodding from international donors and a three 
month delay, Cameroon's Global Fund Country 
Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) submitted a Continuation of 
Service request to the Global Fund in late September.  This 
request would fund current ARV patients for the next two 
years, but would not fund any new patients requiring 
treatment.  The CCM hopes to receive an answer in the next 
few weeks.  The GRC does not currently have a action plan for 
how to deal with new patients, nor for what it will do if the 
Continuation of Service request is denied. 
 
¶3. (SBU) There are sufficient first line ARVs in stock until 
late November.  CENAME, the Central Drug Depository, is 
holding past due bills for recent ARV shipments.  Round 3 of 
the Global Fund is funding 50% of ARV costs, with the GRC 
footing the bill for the rest.  The GRC has not been paying 
its share of recent bills, leaving CENAME to pay the balance. 
 Sources in the Ministry of Health told poloff that the Prime 
Minister ordered the Minister of Finance to pay 5 billion 
FCFA ($ 10 million) to CENAME in early August, but no money 
has been allocated so far.  CENAME staff recently told poloff 
that CENAME is considering using its reserve money to fund 
the next shipment of ARVs, thus avoiding interruption of 
treatment for patients. 
 
H1N1 - No New Cases 
------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) Although four H1N1 cases were reported in August 
(reftel C), no additional cases have been reported to 
Cameroon's Office of Disease Control nor verified by the 
Pasteur Institute. 
 
Neglected Tropical Diseases 
--------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) USAID recently awarded Helen Keller International with 
a large, multi-year grant to fight neglected tropical 
diseases, such as river blindness, in Cameroon.  The program 
will work at a community level to increase awareness, 
community action for prevention and treatment for several 
diseases prevalent in Cameroon. 
 
Cholera Outbreak 
---------------- 
 
¶6. (U) A cholera outbreak has been unfolding over the past 
week in the Extreme North and North regions.  The government 
reports 110 cases and 19 deaths as of October 13.  Post has 
issued a warden message raising awareness of this issue. 
 
¶7. (SBU) COMMENT:  The GRC appears to have done a reasonably 
good job of tracking the H1N1 and cholera situations. 
However, its inaction on the looming ARV crisis is very 
unsettling.  The government appears to relying on reserves to 
put the maximum pressure on donors to come up with the funds 
to fix the problem.  Post has raised this issue multiple 
 
YAOUNDE 00000865  002 OF 002 
 
 
times with high level officials.  International donors are 
increasingly frustrated, especially as several organizations 
have offered to send consultants to 
work on this issue.  Cameroon's Round 9 proposal to the 
Global Fund, submitted in June 2009, is almost one-fifth of 
the total Global Fund budget, and is therefore unlikely to be 
funded. We will continue to monitor the ARV and cholera 
situations.  END COMMENT. 
PETERSON