Students, Health Workers Thank Biya for Job Promise

Students and health workers mobilized by the Minister of Public Health, Dr. Manaouda Malachie, offered gratitude to President Paul Biya for announcing recruitments in the health sector.

President Paul Biya, during his end-of-year speech, announced the recruitment of 9,944 health workers in the next five years.

Health officials considered it a gift that deserves appreciation.

That is why, on Monday, January 6, over a thousand of them marched on the streets of Yaounde, the nation’s capital, to express their gratitude.

They later assembled at the Ministry of Public Health, where they presented a motion of support to President Biya through Minister Manaouda Malachie.

Understaffed Sector

The Cameroon health sector has been understaffed under President Biya’s 42-year .

Cameroonian health workers are among a chunk of professionals who have been moving abroad to seek greener pastures.

This has left the doctor-to-patient ratio at one doctor per 50,000 people.

This is lower compared to the WHO recommendation of 1 doctor to 10,000 patients.

That is why Doctor Manaouda Malachie, after receiving President Biya’s motion of support from health workers, said he was happy to see this mark of recognition.

He promised to transmit the message to the appropriate authorities. 

Furthermore, he appealed to health professionals to always remain hopeful, because the President of the Republic is a man who listens to grievances and acts positively when possible. 
 
To him, the job recruitment meets the pressing need of human resources in the Cameroonian health system.

It strengthens efforts towards universal health coverage.

Why Praise the President?

Biya has been the President of Cameroon for 42 years, and yet Cameroon is still in dire need of health workers.

He hardly receives medical care in the health structures that the government has constructed.

Each time he is not feeling well, he prefers to go abroad.

This has raised concerns about the quality of healthcare offered at Cameronian hospitals and suggests the president doesn’t trust them.