Ministries put hold on healthcare training at certain levels

Higher education and health authorities in Cameroon have suspended student admissions into years one and three of the country’s medical programmes at all higher education institutions for the 2024-25 academic year as part of reforms aimed at introducing the licence-masters-doctorate (LMD) system.

In a meeting in Yaoundé with the committee members of the National Association of Private Institutions of Higher Education, or NAPHEI, on 18 September 2024, Minister of Higher Education Professor Jacques Fame Ndongo and Minister of Public Health Dr Manaouda Malachie announced the suspension in admissions of first and third-year health students in all higher education institutions.

“Admission of fresh students of year one and those with higher diplomas applying for a degree programme into year three has been suspended in all training institutions, including state universities,” Ndongo said.

Reform and harmonisation

The decision was in line with a joint resolution by both ministries on 16 August 2024 to reform and harmonise training in the sector, he explained.

Ndongo said the decision to suspend admissions for the 2024-25 academic year means that both private and government universities in Cameroon offering this training will not admit students for nursing, midwifery, medical laboratory technician, pharmacy, and other related programmes until further notice.

However, he clarified that, although admission for the 2024-25 academic year for Higher National Diploma (HND-Certificate of Higher Technician) and Brevet de Technicien Superieur (BTS) programmes in medical and biomedical science options has been temporarily suspended, the suspension did not affect current students (moving to L200 and L300) who will be allowed to complete their studies, following the existing training curricula for paramedical institutions in Cameroon.

The Yaoundé meeting with the government came after the association sought clarity on what the training programme for the sector would look like when the country’s universities open their doors in October 2024.

“We are glad the decision includes the state universities, because all training institutions, private and public, have to be at the same level,” Wantou Siantou, a member of parliament and owner of Siantou University Institute, a private university in Yaoundé, who led the delegation, told the press after the meeting.

The association has a duty to coordinate the activities of the private higher education sector, making sure all training institutions in the private sector function according to the rules set out by the ministry of higher education, he said.

“We have to make sure our members are on par with our hierarchy, the ministry of higher education,” said Siantou of the purpose behind the meeting with government representatives.

International standards

Experts say the challenge of righting the wrongs in the current training of health personnel in Cameroon is so big that all stakeholders are throwing the collective kitchen sink at it.

According to a local media report, the Council of Nurses, Midwives and Health Technicians indicated its support at a press conference in early August for the government’s decision to reform the sector.

The council reportedly called for an immediate end to the training of health workers in the HND, Higher Professional Diploma (HPD) and other qualifications until the sector was completely reformed.

“We have observed total disorder in the training that does not meet international standards. We are in constructive dialogue with the government to put an end to this disorder,” Dr Fobasso Dzuta Melkior, the association’s president, was quoted as saying.

University World News has reported before on the government’s plan to phase out the higher health technicians and higher national diploma programme in healthcare training and replace them with the licence-masters-doctorate (LMD) system.

Another key resolution by the government is the introduction of a national examination for HND/BTS/HPD graduates to be organised by the Cameroon National Council of Paramedical Professionals in October 2024. This exam will serve as a prerequisite for obtaining a licence to practise in the medical field, which is in line with international standards.

Qualified personnel

A World Health Organization report has emphasised the need to invest in the education of health workers in Africa.

Health training institution officials agree on the need, not only to reformulate the training curriculum to ensure qualified staff, but to ensure the institutions are adequately equipped.

“The curricula for training in the different institutions under higher education and public health should be synchronised. Quality training also means investing in the right infrastructure and human resources; thus, the need for well-equipped laboratories for practical study, digital and physical libraries and, above all, qualified staff,” said Dr Nick Ngwanyam, CEO of St Louis University Institute, Douala, Cameroon.