(Business in Cameroon) - Malachie Manaouda (photo), Cameroonian health minister, inked April 4 a decision setting terms for accessing & monitoring HIV testing services and population care in public health facilities.

According to the document, the rapid HIV screenings will be free of charge as of January 1^st, 2020. Other free services are also planned for people living with the virus. These are medical and prenatal consultations including booklets, medical records, biological follow-up examinations (CD4 and viral load), early HIV testing for children, antiretroviral (ARV) drugs and drugs to prevent opportunistic infections and others.

The official points out that reagents and medicines for all the above-mentioned examinations and services, in accordance with the national guidelines in force, are provided free of charge to health facilities and laboratories selected under the program. “Failure to comply with this decision or the application of informal costs to the services mentioned above will be subject to sanctions,” warns the department.

Sylvain Andzongo