The representative of the Minister of Public Health has told parliamentarians gathered this June 17, 2026 that the HIV response in Cameroon is facing a generalized epidemic, with an adult prevalence of 2.7% according to CAMPHIA 2024 and nearly 560,000 people living with HIV. He explained that the epidemic is mixed, both generalized and concentrated among certain key populations, and that the Ministry had adopted the "Test and Treat" strategy to place anyone diagnosed positive on treatment immediately upon screening. He also noted that the Ministry and its partners are focusing efforts on preventing mother-to-child transmission and on care for adolescents.

He equally talked of the financial sovereignty crisis threatening the response. According to him, nearly 90% of the national HIV budget had historically come from external funding, and the reduction in donor contributions, along with the restructuring of PEPFAR and the Global Fund, was forcing NACC and the State to review their sustainability strategies. He stressed that this withdrawal was jeopardizing the gains made, affecting the purchase of antiretrovirals and essential health commodities, and slowing prevention and testing programs. He added that without massive support, the cost of care, estimated at several thousand FCFA per month, risked falling back on patients and leading to an increase in new infections.

He affirmed that fighting stigma and decentralizing care through Points of Care remained priorities for NACC and the Ministry in order to maintain access to services and achieve set targets. He urged parliamentarians to commit to removing access barriers, ensuring the sustainability of gains, and mobilizing sustainable domestic resources, emphasizing that the future of the response depended on their collective commitment.