The President of the Cameroon National Order of Pharmacists (ONPC), Dr. Franck Nana, published a statement last February 18 denying rumors of a general drug shortage in the country. “We are not facing a general shortage of medicines in our country,” the pharmacist said to reassure the population.

He however admitted that Cameroon is regularly short of certain essential medicines. In 2022, for example, insulin, which is essential in the treatment of diabetes, was out of stock in the country’s pharmacies and hospitals. The disease affects about 615,000 people in Cameroon. The BCG vaccine, which is used to prevent tuberculosis in infants, was also out of stock for nearly seven weeks last year.

"Recent reports did mention stock-outs of some products due to supply difficulties, which are themselves linked to the fluctuations in the international market. However, the situation is far and away from the gloomy picture rumors are trying to portray,” the ONPC President said.

According to him, "urgent" measures are regularly taken, if necessary, to curb the deficits "as soon as possible". He reassures the population of "the existence of sufficient guarantees" for the supply and "availability in quantity and quality" of pharmaceutical products throughout the country.

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