Strengthening Governance of Private Health Insurance in Cameroon

Date: June 19, 2026
Time: 3:00–4:00 PM (GMT+1)
Venue: Zoom Online (Register now)

Background & Rationale

Cameroon continues to grapple with unequal access to quality healthcare, driven by financial barriers, geographic disparities and heterogeneity in service quality. Private Health Insurance (PHI) is increasingly viewed as a complementary financing mechanism that can expand financial protection and reduce catastrophic out?of?pocket expenditure. Yet, PHI’s contribution to Universal Health Coverage (UHC) objectives remains constrained by governance gaps: unclear accountability arrangements, weak oversight and reporting, limited transparency in benefits and claims, insufficient consumer protection, and fragmented coordination between health and insurance authorities.

Improving PHI governance is therefore a policy priority. Clarifying the regulatory framework, strengthening supervision and enforcement, establishing uniform disclosure standards, and enhancing consumer protection can increase trust and predictability for beneficiaries and providers. This webinar will translate these issues into concrete, actionable reforms that align PHI with national health financing goals.

Objectives

General Objective: Strengthen understanding of practical strategies to improve the governance of PHI in Cameroon and align it with UHC goals.

Specific Objectives:

• Diagnose current governance challenges across the PHI value chain (licensing, product design, marketing, contracting, claims, dispute resolution).
• Review applicable legal and regulatory instruments and identify gaps or ambiguities affecting implementation and enforcement.
• Assess supervision, monitoring and reporting arrangements, including data standards and enforcement tools.
• Propose feasible transparency and accountability measures to protect consumers and improve market conduct.
• Outline a coordination roadmap between health and insurance authorities to align PHI with national priorities.

Guiding Questions

• Which governance weaknesses most undermine PHI trust and uptake today, and why?
• What specific regulatory clarifications or secondary instruments are needed in the short term?
• How can supervision and reporting be strengthened without imposing excessive administrative burdens?
• What consumer protection mechanisms (complaints handling, dispute resolution, claim denials review) are most urgent to institutionalize?
• How should health and insurance authorities coordinate purchasing, quality, and data standards?

Expected Outputs

• A concise problem–solution map of PHI governance gaps and priority fixes (presented during the webinar).
• A policy brief (4–6 pages) detailing actionable recommendations, responsible institutions, and an indicative timeline.
• A coordination note outlining roles of Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of Finance/Insurance Directorate, and other stakeholders.
• Stakeholder interest captured via post?event outreach to support regulatory updates and pilots.

Target Audience

• Ministry of Public Health; Ministry of Finance/Insurance Directorate; social security and labor authorities.
• Insurance companies, third?party administrators, and provider networks.
• Civil society and consumer protection organizations.
• Health economists, health financing practitioners and academics.
• Development partners and technical agencies supporting UHC and insurance reform.

About the Organizers

The Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation was established to catalyze Africa’s economic transformation by focusing on social entrepreneurship, science and technology, innovation, public health and progressive policies that create economic opportunities for all. The Foundation works with governments, policymakers, private enterprises, civil society organizations and development partners to expand opportunities and improve livelihoods.

The Nkafu Policy Institute is an independent think tank at the Foretia Foundation that provides in?depth, evidence?based policy recommendations to advance inclusive development in Cameroon and across Africa. The Institute convenes experts, conducts rigorous research, and leads policy dialogues across governance, health, economic policy, science and technology.

Contact

Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation / Nkafu Policy Institute
Opposite Collège Jésus?Marie – Simbock, P.O. Box 14315, Yaoundé, Cameroon
Tel: (+237) 22 31 15 84 / 654 86 72 54 | Email: [email protected]| Web: www.foretiafoundation.org  |  www.nkafu.org