List of Reference and Central Hospitals in Cameroon

The article discusses the list of reference and central hospitals in Cameroon.
According to the classification of health facilities in Cameroon, the health establishments of categories 1 and 2 are called central hospitals.

These central hospitals provide the following:

They provide specialized and high-level healthcare services
The hospitals contribute to the promotion of operational research in health and scientific influence
They constitute application structures for technical and administrative staff.

Categories of Hospitals in Cameroon (Reference Versus Central Hospitals)

Reference or Category 1 hospitals

Cameroon’s 4th Reference or Category 1 hospitals are public administrative establishments with legal personality and financial autonomy. They consist of the following:

Yaoundé General Hospital
Douala General Hospital
Gyneco-Obstetrics and Pediatric Hospital of Yaoundé
Gynecologist Hospital- Obstetrics and pediatrics of Douala
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) de Yaoundé.

Central hospitals

Central hospitals in Cameroon include:

Yaoundé central hospital
Laquintinie Hospital in Douala.
Jamot Hospital in Yaoundé
Sangmelima reference hospital

History of Health Care Facilities in Cameroon

The health facilities in Cameroon are organized into seven main categories:

General hospitals
Central hospitals
Regional hospitals
District hospitals
District medical centers
Integrated health centers
Ambulatory health centers

Most districts have district hospitals and regional hospitals in all regions except the East Region.
In 2016, Cameroon’s health infrastructure was organized into 10 Regions containing 189 health districts. Approximately 5500 public and private health facilities were spread throughout the national territory.

Access to health services in Cameroon in 2021 was at 2.11 health facilities per 10,000 inhabitants. Besides public hospitals, non-profit hospitals are managed mainly through religious organizations such as the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon Health services and the Cameroon Baptist Convention.