Approval of medicines for health programs in Cameroon

Abstract

Objective: To analyse the registration status of medicines in health programmes.

Methodology: This is a quantitative analytical study, carried out over a period from March 1, 2022 to May 30, 2022. The aim was to collect the list of medications used at the CNLCa, CNLD, PEV, PNLO, Family Health Department , CNTS, CCOUSP using a questionnaire during semi-structured interviews. The data collected was analyzed using the Excel mask of drugs approved in Cameroon in 2022.

Results: 160 pharmaceutical products were identified and distributed across seven health programmes. The granting and renewal of a marketing authorisation for a drug takes around five months and two weeks, from receipt of the application to availability of the marketing authorisation. 25.86% of CNLCa medicines are registered, 100% of EPI products are registered, 50% of PNLO medicines are registered, 88.88% of medicines used in the fight against COVID 19 are registered, 58.82% of Reproductive Health products are registered, 44.44% of blood transfusion products are registered, while the fight against drugs has no registered medicines in Cameroon.

Conclusion: The drug registration procedure is long and only half of the drugs in health
programmes are registered.