Biya regime advances talks with South Korea on Yaoundé emergency care project ⁰

Cameroon’s Health Minister Manaouda Malachie is in South Korea to fast-track discussions on the rollout of Cury 2, the expansion phase of Yaounde’s Emergency Care Center (Cury).

During his visit, which began on March 25, 2026, the minister met his South Korean counterpart, Jeong Eun-kyeong, to review the project, which authorities say is key to improving long-term emergency care in the capital, with plans for a gradual rollout to other cities.

The project builds on an agreement signed on Nov. 28, 2023, between the two countries. The deal covers the expansion of Cury, with two main objectives: increasing patient capacity and improving care for critically ill patients in Yaounde.

However, Cameroonian authorities say the project goes beyond infrastructure. “We are developing, with the Republic of Korea through Koica (the Korea International Cooperation Agency), phase 2 of Cury. This phase is not just about infrastructure. It includes a full medical emergency management system. This is why we are in Korea,” Manaouda Malachie said.

South Korea has committed 8.5 billion CFA francs in grant financing to support the project. The funds will be used to expand infrastructure and strengthen technical capacity.

The program includes increasing capacity to treat critically ill patients, improving emergency care, training specialists and technicians, and setting up a call center to coordinate emergency responses. The Cameroonian delegation also requested the integration of an automated laboratory to speed up diagnostics and improve response times.

Project already under way

Preparatory work for Cury 2 is already under way. On Feb. 13, 2026, an emergency tender was launched for an environmental and social impact study, estimated at 30 million CFA francs.

According to the Ministry of Public Health, the mission to Korea reflects “the government’s commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery and improving the rapid and effective management of medical emergencies nationwide.”

Inaugurated in 2016, Cury was built with $84 million in financing from Koica. The first center of its kind in Central Africa, it specializes in treating patients in life-threatening conditions, including heart attacks, pulmonary embolisms and severe trauma cases.

The facility introduced more modern standards in emergency care in Cameroon and has since become a leading reference center nationally and across the sub-region.

Authorities now plan to replicate the model in other regions. Koica has proposed a broader initiative to establish a nationwide emergency medical services system, including regional centers.

For now, Yaounde remains the only city with such infrastructure. The goal is to expand access to quality emergency care across the country.

Source: Business in Cameroon