Garoua General Hospital : Cancer center in sight to meet northern needs

The oncology center in question will be built in the period 2025-2027 at a cost of just over one billion FCFA and will be equipped with a linear accelerator, reinforced with a PET-SCAN and all the ultramodern radiotherapy equipment.

This investment is part of the budget of more than 3 billion FCFA adopted for the year 2025, in order to also finance the acquisition of other cutting-edge medical equipment and the rehabilitation of existing infrastructure.

This strategic plan was approved during the third ordinary session of the board of directors of the General Hospital of Garoua, held on February 1, 2025. The ten members of the board met around the Chairman of the board of directors Mr. MAHOUNDE TOBI and the Director General Prof. HAMADOU BA.

This session, marked by the full participation of all board members, allowed for fruitful discussions and consensual decision-making on crucial points for the development of the hospital. The working atmosphere led by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, described as serene and professional, testifies to the cohesion and commitment of the directors to the hospital’s mission, that of providing quality health care to the population of the Northern region, Cameroon and also the sub-region. The review of the 2025-2027 strategic performance plan occupied an important place on the agenda. This document, carefully prepared by the hospital management, reveals the construction of a cancer center at the Garoua General Hospital. This center will meet the many needs of the population when we know today the pain that cancer diseases bring to patients and their families. The oncology center in question will be built in the period 2025-2027 at a cost of 1,295,744,903 FCFA and will be equipped with a linear accelerator, reinforced with a PET-SCAN and all the ultramodern radiotherapy equipment. The first phase of the project will be launched this year. It is based on the start of work and project management. The cost of this phase amounts to 281,000,000 FCFA. The center which will be built on R+1 will further strengthen the means of care of the first category health facility. It must also be said that the project results from the will of the Head of State which is to make the General Hospital of Garoua, an accomplished center of care. Currently, the health facility has an oncology department responsible for the care of cancerous pathologies. And chemotherapy treatment, with the high cost of drugs that are very often not within the reach of patients, will experience a relaxation with the announced commissioning of the cancer center. The project will therefore be completed gradually according to the strategic performance plan until 2027. This is one of the major resolutions that was examined during the board of directors session. In addition, the budget was also on the agenda.

More than 3 billion FCFA adopted for the year 2025

Another highlight of the session was the vote on the provisional budget for the 2025 financial year. After constructive debates and a careful examination of the various budget items, the board of directors unanimously adopted a total budget of 3,293,377,597 FCFA. This ambitious budget reflects the hospital’s desire to invest massively in improving its infrastructure, equipment and the quality of care provided. This significant amount will be allocated to various priority spending areas, meeting the objectives defined in the strategic plan. It should be noted that a significant portion of the budget will be devoted to the acquisition of new state-of-the-art medical equipment, to improve the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. The objective is to modernize existing equipment and meet the growing needs of the population in terms of specialized care. To this end, significant funds are allocated to the rehabilitation of existing infrastructure, in order to improve the reception conditions for patients and staff. Improving the hygiene and safety of premises is also a priority.

The adoption of this budget and the implementation of the 2025-2027 strategic performance plan mark an important step for the Garoua General Hospital (HGG) at the beginning of this year. This ambitious action plan will allow the institution to play an even more crucial role in the health development of the Northern region. Improving the quality of care, access to care for all, and staff training remain the priority objectives. The Board of Directors and the General Management of the hospital reaffirm their commitment to work tirelessly to provide quality health services to the population.

Marcus DARE