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Cameroon's TB Sanatoriums: A 60-Year-Old Relic?
12 Feb
Summary
- Cameroon uses outdated TB isolation policies despite WHO recommendations.
- Funding cuts to global health programs have worsened TB care in Cameroon.
- Patients endure lengthy isolation, impacting mental health and families.
In northern Cameroon, patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis endure isolation in a sanitarium model largely abandoned by high-income countries decades ago. Asta Djouma has been confined since October 2025, separated from her children, as is required until she tests negative for the disease.
The World Health Organization has advised against such isolation for 15 years, promoting home-based treatment for better patient outcomes. However, disruptions in international funding, notably U.S. budget cuts, have stalled the adoption of these updated guidelines in Cameroon.
Cameroon's health ministry acknowledges a gradual transition to WHO standards, attributing delays to careful implementation rather than a lack of resources. Nevertheless, patients like Ms. Djouma and Momini Daibou face months of boredom and separation from families, impacting their mental well-being.
Global TB funding cuts have also affected contact tracing and diagnostic testing in rural Cameroon. Essential supplies became scarce by the end of 2025, leading to rationing of molecular tests, contrary to WHO recommendations.
Despite these challenges, nurse Frédéric Lingom strives to monitor patients and ensure they receive medication, often with the support of visiting family members who provide companionship and essential care.
