National Strategic Plan for Health Research (NSPHR 2026-2030)

Abstract

Cameroon faces a double burden of disease (the persistence of communicable diseases and the rise of non-communicable diseases) against a backdrop of chronic underfunding of the health sector (3.6 per cent of the national budget in 2023, far short of the Abuja commitment of 15 per cent), recurrent humanitarian crises and deep-seated inequalities. The review of the 2014-2018 National Strategic Plan for Operational Health Research reveals persistent structural shortcomings: fragmentation of research initiatives, insufficient and unsustainable funding, limited use of research findings in health decision-making, and the absence of a harmonised monitoring and evaluation mechanism. Based on the findings of the situational analysis, which involved the collection and analysis of data from health programmes, technical directorates, universities, research institutes, health facilities and development partners, the drafting of this new plan has made it possible to address the structural shortcomings identified, notably the fragmentation of initiatives, weak national coordination, the limited capacity of stakeholders and the insufficient use of research findings in decision-making. It proposes a logical framework structured around four strategic outcomes: (i) strengthening governance and ethics in health research; (ii) the systematic use of evidence in decision-making; (iii) the institutionalisation of a culture of research within the health system; (iv) the mobilisation and sustainability of funding for research. Implementation is driven by strengthened governance, led by the Ministry of Public Health, in coordination with the Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation, national and regional ethics committees, academic institutions, technical and financial partners, civil society and communities. The total cost of implementing the National Strategic Plan for Health Research (PSNRS), including theregionalisation mechanism rolled out across the 10 regions, is estimated at 3.044 billion CFA francs (approximately 4.68 million USD) over the period 2026-2030, representing an average annual investment of 609 million CFA francs. This budget represents approximately 20 FCFA per capita per year, a level significantly below the standards recommended by the Algiers Declaration (2 per cent of national health expenditure). The budget allocation prioritises governance and ethics (32 per cent), followed by capacity building (27 per cent), sustainable financing (21 per cent) and evidence generation and utilisation (20 per cent). By 2030, the PSNRS aims to ensure the regular conduct of priority operational research studies, the roll-out of standardised methodological tools, the training of a critical mass of researchers and decision-makers at all levels of the health system, the sustained production of policy briefs and knowledge products, and the documented integration of research findings into plans, guidelines and programme decisions. Monitoring will be carried out through a rigorous framework based on SMART indicators, clearly defined sources of verification and assigned institutional responsibilities.