(Business in Cameroon) - South Korea has pledged CFA8.5 billion to finance the expansion of the Yaoundé Emergency Center (Cury), a reference for emergency medical care in Cameroon. The agreement was officially signed on Tuesday, November 28, in Yaoundé, sealing the commitment between Alamine Ousmane Mey, Minister of Economy, Planning, and Spatial Planning (Minepat), and the Country Director of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (Koica).

Minepat says the resources, presented as a donation, will help improve the capacity and quality of emergency care in the capital. Additionally, the financing will be allocated to elevate both the initial and ongoing training of emergency medicine specialists and medical technicians in Cameroon. As part of this initiative, the construction of a dedicated call center is also in the pipeline. The Cury, inaugurated in 2016 with Koica's financial support totalling $84 million, stands as the first of its kind in Central Africa. Its mandate encompasses receiving patients with life-threatening conditions, including those in distress from myocardial infarctions, pulmonary embolisms, and various fractures resulting from accidents.

Beyond the Cury, South Korea, through Eximbank Korea, has also invested nearly CFA42 billion in the construction of the Garoua General Hospital in the northern region of the country. This hospital is hailed as a flagship project in the bilateral cooperation between the two nations. South Korea's financial support extends beyond the healthcare sector, encompassing projects in agriculture, energy, education, and digital transformation.

The signing of this agreement for the Strengthening Emergency Medicine System Project in Cameroon follows the official visit to the country by South Korea's Prime Minister, Han Duck-soo. This visit marked the first official visit by a South Korean head of government to Cameroon since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1961. It served as a platform for Yaoundé and Seoul to express their shared commitment to intensify their cooperation across various domains.