By Boris Esono Nwenfor
YAOUNDE, PAV – Health experts, researchers and development partners have called for urgent reforms to improve access to affordable care for people living with chronic diseases in Cameroon during the 8th Operational Working Group (OWG) organised by the Health Policy and Research Division of the Nkafu Policy Institute.
Held on July 16, 2026, at the Mansel Hotel in Yaoundé, the meeting focused on the theme: “The WHO PEN-Plus Framework: Pathways to Equitable Chronic Disease Coverage through Private Health Insurance in Cameroon.”
“Our presentation was about how private insurance companies can leverage the WHO PEN-Plus framework,” Musa Nji, Health Policy Analyst at the Nkafu Policy Institute, said. “The programme establishes a systematic approach for managing severe non-communicable diseases at district hospitals, with trained healthcare workers, standardised treatment packages, patient follow-up and continuous monitoring.”
The forum examined how the World Health Organisation’s PEN-Plus strategy could be integrated into private health insurance reforms to expand financial protection for patients suffering from non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Non-communicable diseases have become one of Cameroon’s most pressing public health concerns, accounting for an estimated 38 per cent of all deaths while placing enormous financial pressure on households.
Growing Burden of Chronic Diseases
With more than 65 per cent of healthcare spending paid directly out-of-pocket, many families are forced into catastrophic health expenditure when seeking treatment for chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and sickle cell disease.
Despite the growing burden of chronic diseases, private health insurance schemes in Cameroon rarely provide adequate coverage for long-term conditions. Many insurance providers continue to classify pre-existing illnesses as high-risk, resulting in exclusions, lengthy waiting periods and expensive premiums that place coverage beyond the reach of many citizens.
The discussions were informed by a policy brief developed by the Nkafu Policy Institute titled “The WHO PEN-Plus: A Framework to Promote Equitable Chronic Disease Coverage in Private Health Insurance.” The document examines how the WHO strategy can be linked with private health insurance reforms to promote equitable, sustainable and inclusive healthcare financing.
Nji argued that the standardised procedures established under the PEN-Plus programme could provide private insurers with reliable data on treatment costs and patient management, making it easier for them to design affordable insurance packages for chronic diseases.
“Private insurers have generally avoided covering non-communicable diseases because they perceive them as too expensive,” Nji explained. “Once someone has an established chronic disease, many insurers are reluctant to provide coverage because they fear high treatment costs.”
He said the PEN-Plus framework demonstrates that chronic diseases can be managed efficiently through early screening, timely referrals from primary healthcare centres to district hospitals, trained medical personnel and standardised treatment protocols.
“We are encouraging private insurance companies to study this framework, understand the evidence that already exists, and use it as a basis for developing standardised benefit packages for people living with non-communicable diseases,” he added.
Need to Expand Insurance Coverage for Chronic Diseases
Mbiydzenyuy Ferdinant Sonyuy, Chief Executive Officer of the Reconciliation and Development Association (RADA) and Secretary-General of the Cameroon Non-Communicable Disease Alliance, stressed the need for greater engagement between insurance providers and the NCD community.
“My key takeaway is that private insurance companies need to be sensitised on what the WHO Package of Essential Non-Communicable Diseases (PEN) and PEN-Plus are all about,” Sonyuy said.
He argued that insurance companies should view chronic disease coverage not only as a public health responsibility but also as a viable business opportunity. “Insurance companies are there to make money, but they are also there to save lives. They need to understand the opportunities available to provide insurance for people living with non-communicable diseases while remaining financially sustainable,” he said.
“There are many people who may not have diabetes, hypertension or cardiovascular diseases today but could develop them in the future,” he said. “We need to begin thinking about the future of healthcare financing and how to provide financial protection before people become seriously ill.”
Sonyuy added that expanding insurance coverage for chronic diseases would significantly reduce the economic burden on households while strengthening Cameroon’s broader health financing system.
About the Denis And Lenora Foretia Foundation
The Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation was established to accelerate Africa’s economic transformation by focusing on social entrepreneurship, science and technology, innovation, public health and progressive policies that create economic opportunities for all. The foundation works in partnership with local governments, policymakers, private enterprises, civil society organisations, as well as development partners to expand the resources available to entrepreneurs, farmers, and small business owners, in addition to improving individual livelihoods.
About the Nkafu Policy Institute
The Nkafu Policy Institute is an African think tank with a mission to provide independent, in-depth and insightful policy recommendations that allow all Africans to prosper in free, fair, democratic and sustainable economies. The Institute is made up of analysts, experts and researchers from all over the world, working on a wide range of topics, including governance and democracy, health and education, peace and security, science and technology, and economic policy.
