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Draft bill on the organisation and functioning of the national health insurance
office (CNSM).
During consideration of the various indicators, particular attention was paid to
facilitating children‟s access to the social benefits to be provided in the above-mentioned
laws.
It must also be mentioned that since children‟s access to social benefits is
dependent on the parents, any improvements for the children will necessarily come about
through improvements in parents‟ benefits.
Moreover, the Government is encouraging the creation of mutual health funds to try
to make up the inadequate health insurance benefits in Cameroon (search for legislation
on health care for Government workers and their families). Members of mutual health
funds and their children will enjoy health care so long as their contributions are up to date.
E. Care for Orphans
Orphans receive medical care in hospitals and within the framework of various
Government child care programmes. However, considering the sensitive and specific
nature of the problem of orphans, a problem which has become even more complex due to
the ravages of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, the Government and its partners have established
a number of programmes and projects to address the issue. An example is the national
programme on support to HIV/AIDS orphans and other vulnerable children, funded by the
Global Fund and implemented under the supervision of the NACC and MINAS. This
programme has provided varied support (nutritional, educational, health, psychosocial and
legal) to OVC since 2006.
From 2003 to 2005, the Global Fund provided care to 20 000 (twenty thousand)
OVC. HACI and Synergies Africaines assisted 1,000 OCV, and “Bi-Multi”, 3,200 (three
thousand two hundred). In 2008, about 183,000 OVC were identified, 65,000 of whom
were assisted by the Government and its partners (Bi-mult, Global Fund, etc.) as part of
projects and programmes.
The 2006/2010 national aids control programme aims to treat 75 per cent of the
122,000 (one hundred and twenty-two thousand) OVC identified in Cameroon. A workshop
to brainstorm on the establishment of a fostering system was organised by the
Government in partnership with civil society and development partners. Participants
strongly recommended the elaboration of a fostering guide for OVC in Cameroon which
was approved in August 2009 and will be implemented in 2010.