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Survey reveals 500,000 living with HIV/AIDS in Cameroon.

by Editorial team
13 Jul 2026 15:35
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Minister Manaouda Malachie speaking during event in Yaounde

The results of a survey, released recently, has revealed that 500,000 people are living with HIV/AIDS in Cameroon. The information is contained in a 2024-2025 survey, by the Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment, known by its French acronym, CAMPHIA.
The findings were released in Yaounde, on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. This was during an event, presided by the Minister of Public Health, Dr Manaouda Malachie.

According to the survey, the annual incidence of adults, aged 15 years, and older in Cameroon was 0.13%, which corresponds to 21,000 new cases of HIV per year.

It also indicated that most of those suffering from the disease are young people. The survey was carried out in 15,000 households across the ten Regions of Cameroon.

The study discloses a nationwide HIV prevalence drop to 2.6% and a decrease in incident to 0.15% for ages 15-49. It indicates progress toward viral load suppression in patients already on Antiretroviral Therapy, ART.

As compared to the 2017-2018 CAMPHIA assessment, Cameroon has witnessed a drop in the HIV prevalence rate, from 31,000 to 21,000 cases.

CAMPHIA has tracked a progress in Cameroon’s 95-95-95 HIV Project, targeted to measure the efficacy of local interventions.

Dr Manaouda Malachie said during the event that it is important for people to know their HIV status, since it is only through knowing one’s status that precautions against infection or transmission can be judiciously taken.

He said screening will be intensified, likewise community approaches. To him, stigma contributes to people not willing to know their HIV status, thus the need for more interventions towards ending stigma.

“We have recorded progress in treatment,” he said. The minister urged that there is the need to reinforce different interventions towards achieving the HIV response.

He said the Cameroon government will take necessary decisions based on the released data, this as the population's wellbeing is priority.

He emphasised on Cameroon’s 95-95-95 HIV Project. The first 95 corresponds to the percentage, aimed at by the Ministry to diagnose HIV positive patients.

The second is to treat the patients diagnosed HIV positive, while the last 95 is to suppress all those living on Antiretroviral drugs.

So far, Cameroon has reached a 92-96-93 rate. The research was carried out with funding from the United States government.

The Cameroon Population-based HIV Impact Assessment, CAMPHIA 2024-2025, is a household-based national survey among adults (defined as those aged 15 years and older) to measure the impact of the national HIV response.

The government and the National AIDS Control Committee continue to focus on improving viral suppression among youth and addressing low testing rates among men. Institutions like CAMPHIA are taking an impactful step towards the eradication of the virus in Cameroon.

By Rakiya Abdoullahi, Yani Martha & Kelly Fien (Journalism students on internship)

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3842 of Thursday July 09, 2026