Y’ello Care 2026: MTN sets stage for digital lab at Japoma District Hospital.

This was during a foundation stone-laying ceremony attended by administrative authorities, municipal officials, traditional rulers, healthcare stakeholders and MTN Cameroon executives.

The initiative is being implemented under MTN Cameroon’s flagship employee volunteerism programme, Y’ello Care 2026. Officials announced this year’s theme as: “Expanding Equitable Access to Healthcare for Every Community.”

Speaking during the ceremony, the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of MTN Cameroon, Wanda Matandela, described Y’ello Care as a reflection of the telecommunications company’s commitment to creating lasting social impact in the communities it serves.

He said the programme goes beyond Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, stressing that it seeks to transform lives through meaningful interventions in critical sectors such as healthcare.

“Y’ello Care is a strong expression of who we are as MTNers—an organisation driven by purpose and determined to make a tangible and sustainable impact in the lives of people. Through these initiatives, we are not only building infrastructure but creating opportunities for better living conditions and bringing quality healthcare closer to vulnerable populations,” Matandela stated.

According to MTN Cameroon CEO, the construction of the laboratory responds to growing healthcare needs in Japoma. Matandela said it is an area experiencing significant demographic growth and increasing demand for modern medical infrastructure.

Once completed, she said, the facility is expected to enhance diagnostic services at the district hospital. When this happens, Matandela said, it will reduce difficulties faced by patients who currently travel long distances to access laboratory examinations.

The Mayor of Douala III Council, Valentin Époupa Bossambo, hailed the initiative as both timely and commendable. He praised the collaboration between MTN Cameroon and traditional authorities. 

Epoupa said the laboratory would significantly improve access to medical examinations for residents. He noted that the “facility will represent a major advancement in healthcare delivery and facilitate access to medical tests, especially for the most vulnerable populations”.

Zenabou Mali épouse Hamadou Bakary, Head of Administrative and Judicial Services at the Littoral Governor’s Office, said the project is an exemplary demonstration of the private sector’s commitment to community development.

Zenabou noted that the laboratory would contribute significantly to improving healthcare accessibility and strengthening the health system in the locality.

Traditional authorities equally welcomed the project. Speaking on behalf of the Bakoko people, His Majesty Erick Jamil Songue, King of the Bakoko Clan, expressed gratitude to MTN Cameroon for being a model of social partnership.

He said the facility would serve not only Japoma but also neighbouring communities within the Bakoko Canton and the wider Douala III municipality, benefiting an estimated 300,000 inhabitants.

“We hope such partnerships will be extended to other communities across the country and inspire other corporate citizens to follow suit,” he stated.

The Japoma laboratory project is one of several healthcare interventions being undertaken by MTN Cameroon under the 2026 edition of Y’ello Care.

Other projects, officials of the company said, include the installation of a teleconferencing system at the Douala General Hospital, renovation works at the Djoungolo maternity unit in Yaounde, and the provision of equipment to maternity facilities in rural communities.

Now in its 19th edition, the 21 Days of Y’ello Care campaign mobilises MTN employees and partners across Africa to implement community development projects with lasting social impact.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3814 of Thursday June 11, 2026