1. THE STATE OF BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH IN CAMEROON
Emmanuel Acha ASONGALEM
Vice Dean, Research and Cooperation,
Faculty of Health Sciences
University of Buea
Tel:

2. Biomedical conference, Kumasi 2012
Objectives
Introduction
Organisation of research in Cameroon
Biomedical Research Centres
National biomedical research priorities
Percentage distribution of research conducted in Cameroon
Types of research
Research funding
Some ongoing clinical researches going on in Cameroon
Some biomedical researches going on in UB
Unethical incidence of biomedical research
Ethical issues in Cameroon
Areas of collaboration
Biomedical Conference - Kumasi, 2012

3. Cameroon July 2010 Population 19 406 100
Official Name: Republic of Cameroon Area: Capital: Yaounde
Official Languages
Official Name: Republic of Cameroon
AREA: 457,439 Sq Km (183,568 Sq Mi)
Official Languages: English and French
July 2010 Population 19 
Biomedical Conference - Kumasi, 2012

4. Organisation of research in Cameroon
No single National organ is responsible for coordinating research in Cameroon.
Three Ministries are involve in biomedical research:
Ministry Higher Education (MINESUP)
Coordinated by Div. Operational Research
Ministry of Health (MINSANTE)
Coordinated by Division of Operational Health Research
Ministry of Scientific Research (MINRESI)
Coordinated by Div. of Research and Program Policy)
Biomedical Conference - Kumasi, 2012

5. Centers of Biomedical Research
MINISTRY OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
Camdiagnostics
Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies (IMPM)
National Institute for Agricultural Research (IRAD)
MINISTRY OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Universities (8 state and >10 private)
University of Buea – Malaria, HIV/AIDS, Influenza virus and other emerging infectious diseases
University of Yaounde 1 – Malaria, HIV/AIDS, Metabolic syndrome
University of Douala – Malaria
University of Dschang – Malaria
MINISTRY OF HEALTH
International Reference Center of Chantal Biya (IRCCB)
Institute Pasteur – Medical Services
Organization of Coordination for the fight against endemic diseases in Central Africa (OCEAC) – Malaria, HIV/AIDS, infectious diseases
PRESICA, Yaounde – HIV/AIDS
Investigative Research – Cameroon (IRECAM) – HIV/AIDS
Baptist Center, Mutengene – HIV/AIDS
National Health Laboratory (Hygiene Mobile) – emerging diseases
National Laboratory for quality control of drugs (CENAME) – National Medication Distribution Center.
Biomedical Conference - Kumasi, 2012

6. National Biomedical research priorities
Communicable diseases
HIV/AIDS
Malaria
Tuberculosis
Emerging diseases – bird and swine flu, cholera
Onchocerciasis
Non Communicable disease
Cardiovascular diseases
Hypertension
Heart diseases
Diabetes
Cancer
Respiratory diseases
Asthma
Others
Traditional medicine
Nutrition
Biomedical Conference - Kumasi, 2012

7. Percentage distribution of research conducted in Cameroon
Biomedical Conference - Kumasi, 2012

8. Distribution of Health Research in Cameroon
Biomedical Conference - Kumasi, 2012

9. Types of biomedical research in Cameroon
Biomedical Conference - Kumasi, 2012

10. Preclinical research Biomedical Conference - Kumasi, 2012
Natural products
Identification and isolation of new drug leads
Pharmacological screening
Toxicological screening
Pharmaceutical formulations
Others
Drug resistance studies
HIV, HVB variants
Development of diagnosing kits
Therapeutic strategies (traditional treatments of HIV/AIDS)
Biomedical Conference - Kumasi, 2012

11. Study types of Clinical Trials
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12. Distribution of primary outcomes of clinical trial performed in Cameroon
Biomedical Conference - Kumasi, 2012

13. Sources of biomedical research sponsorship
Biomedical Conference - Kumasi, 2012

14. Budget estimates for research in Cameroon
Year
National (USD)
International (USD)(§)
Total (USD)
MINESUP(*)
MPH (†)
MINRESI‡
PRIVATE
2006
>18, NA
>35 million
2007
>47 million
2008
>41 million
2009
>52 million
2010
>18,
>31 million
2011
>19,
>43 million
2012
>20,
>37 million
* Not specifically for biomedical research
† subsidises to public medical schools and research institution; excludes money in collaborative centers such CIRCB
‡ allocated for health research . It is mainly given to IMPM
NA: data not available
§ Allocation from Global fund to fight HIV/AIDS, Malaria and TB
Biomedical Conference - Kumasi, 2012

15. Areas of international-sponsored research
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16. Distribution of sponsorship
Biomedical Conference - Kumasi, 2012

17. Sponsors of Biomedical reseach in Cameroon
Biomedical conference, Kumasi 2012
Sponsors of Biomedical reseach in Cameroon
International sponsors & Institutions
America
Centre for Disease Control
John Hopkins School of Public Health
National Institutes of Health
US Army HIV Research project (LEID)
USAID
France
Institut de Recherche pour la Développement (IRD)
French National Agency for Research on AIDS and Viral Hepatitis (ANRS, France)
Centre de Recherche pour la Santé des Armées (CRESAR)
Italy
CIRCB
Canada
Canadian International Development Research Center (IDRC)
International organs
WHO (TDR, UNAIDs, Global Fund)
European Union (EDCTP project on HIV/AIDS, Malaria, TB, CANTAM)
United Nations Family Planning Agency (UNFPA)
UNICEF
World Bank (Global Fund for the fight against HIV/AIDS/TB/Malaria)
GTZ
International NGOs
Helen Keller International
Gates & Melinda Foundation
Médecins Sans Frontiére
Pharmaceutical companies
Pfizer
Sanofi Aventis
Gilead Science
Roche
National institutions
Government (Universities, IMPM, CENAME, Hygiene Mobile)
Private (very little contributions)
Biomedical Conference - Kumasi, 2012

18. Clinical trials going on in Cameroon
Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in patients attending general practice clinics in selected countries in the Africa and the Middle East region (49 (6) locations) Yaounde, Deido-Douala, Bafoussam, Mbandjock, Njombe and Soa (Pfizer)
Evaluation of three strategies of second-line antiretroviral treatment in Africa (Dakar - Bobo-Dioulasso - Yaoundé) (Gilead Sciences and Janssen Pharmaceutical N.V., Belgium)
Biomedical Conference - Kumasi, 2012

19. Some biomedical researches going on in UB
This project is part of the MalariaGEN (Malaria Genomics and Epidemiology Consortial 1 project involved recruitment of severe malaria in Buea and collecting blood for genomic variations.
Central Africa Network on Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and Malaria (CANTAM project) sponsored by European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP)
Work on Infectious diseases like influenza, cholera (LEID), sponsored by John Hopkins - Army Institute.
Biomedical Conference - Kumasi, 2012

20. Unethical incidence of biomedical research
Tenofovir (VIREAD) prophylactic or preventive properties against HIV infection
Cambodia and West Africa (Cameroon, Ghana & Nigeria) (started July, 2004).
Gates Foundation (USA)  Family Health International (FHI –USA)  Care and Health Programme (CHP) – an NGO.400 uninfected sex workers (200 test drug placebo)
Visit by Act Up-Paris and REDS (Réseau Ethique Droit et Santé, to Cameroon, protest from sex workers, picked up by France-2 TV, magnified and trial suspended in February 2005.
Causes leading to failure
Transport of USD3
Prevention package did not include female condoms
5 social workers to counsel 100 participants
Infected HIV participants were not to treated with HIV drugs
6 (palcebo) 4 (Tenofovir) have seroconverted by August 2005.
State-of –the-art treatment was ordered by FHI.
Biomedical Conference - Kumasi, 2012

21. Ethical issues in Cameroon
All health research projects must obtain permits from the Div. of Operational Research in MPH.
About 14 ERCs in Cameroon, but only 2 are recognized at the MPH (the national ERC (1987), and the ethics committee of Centre International de Reference Chantal Biya (CIRCB) since 2006)
To date, Administrative Authorization for clinical trials and protocols with international collaboration is only granted for protocols reviewed at the National Ethics Committee
The MPH (in collaboration with the CNEC) is currently proposing a guide to regulate the creation of Institutional Review Boards in Cameroon
Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, has a functional ERB for both students and externally funded projects
Biomedical Conference - Kumasi, 2012

22. Areas of collaboration with University of Buea
Biomedical and Fundamental research
Social research
Epidemiological research
Applied research
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23. Conclusion Biomedical Conference - Kumasi, 2012
Biomedical research in Cameroon constitutes only 15% of all health researches conducted and depends mostly on external collaboration.
Biomedical Conference - Kumasi, 2012

24. References & Information sources
National Ethical Committee of Cameroon, Yaounde.
Ministry of Health
Division of operational Health research
Ministry of Higher Education
Division of Operational research
Ministry of Scientific Research & Innovation
Division of Rsearch and Program Policy
Cadre de dépenses à Moyen Terme Santé by Ministry of Public Health, 2010
Situational Analysis of Health Research in Cameroon by Council on Health Research for Development (COHRED), 1995.
Libraries and interviews
University of Buea
University of Yaounde1
University of Douala
Univesity of Dschang
OCEAC library
Global fund (
Biomedical Conference - Kumasi, 2012

25. Biomedical Conference - Kumasi, 2012
YOU
THANK
FOR YOUR
ATTENTION
Biomedical Conference - Kumasi, 2012