By Etienne Nfor Liboh
The Reconciliation and Development Association (RADA) and the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services (CBCHS) have formed a strategic alliance to combat the growing burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) across Cameroon. The partnership was formalized on January 23 2026 in Yaoundé with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by the Director of CBCHS, Ngum Samuel, and the CEO of RADA, Ferdinand Sonyuy. This collaborative framework aims to significantly reduce the impact of chronic diseases and empower local communities to take greater control of their health outcomes.
RADA will contribute through its Healthy Food Policy Campaign, a multifaceted initiative designed to promote healthier food environments and robust nutrition standards. The campaign’s strategy involves sustained advocacy for policies that reduce the consumption of unhealthy foods and strengthen food system regulations. It specifically targets children and young people to promote balanced diets for NCD prevention, employing a three-pronged approach of direct community outreach, strategic media engagement, and high-level policy advocacy.
CBCHS will bring its extensive clinical and community health expertise to the partnership, focusing on NCD prevention and control. Its approach encompasses grassroots health initiatives, including widespread screening programs, public awareness campaigns, and the improved management of conditions like hypertension and diabetes. A core component will be enhancing the capacity of healthcare providers through specialized training to better diagnose and manage NCDs within their communities.
In remarks during the signing ceremony, CBCHS Director, Ngum Samuel, underscored the critical importance of collaboration in tackling complex public health challenges.
“Nobody has it all, and nobody can do it all,” he stated, emphasizing that collective action is essential for bridging existing gaps in healthcare delivery and ensuring that vulnerable populations are not left behind in the national fight against chronic diseases.
Ferdinand Sonyuy, who also serves as Secretary General of the Cameroon NCD Alliance Network, highlighted the urgent nature of the NCD crisis. He noted that these diseases are no longer a distant concern but a pressing reality that is decisively shaping national mortality trends. He described the partnership with CBCHS as both symbolic and strategic, fully aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 17, which champions multi-stakeholder partnerships as a vital engine for sustainable development.
The collaboration is poised to transform Cameroon’s healthcare landscape by enhancing NCD prevention and control mechanisms. It will work to strengthen community-based initiatives and clinical services for major NCDs such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. A parallel focus will be on promoting healthier lifestyles through advocacy for improved nutrition standards, increased physical activity, and comprehensive public awareness campaigns. Crucially, the partnership will dramatically improve access to care by leveraging CBCHS’s vast network of 16 hospitals, 27 health centers, and 54 primary health facilities to reach underserved and remote communities.
The anticipated outcomes of this joint effort are substantial. They include a measurable reduction in NCD-related illness and mortality, a significant increase in public awareness leading to earlier detection of diseases, and markedly improved management and support systems for individuals living with chronic NCDs.
