Cameroon Strengthens Food Safety Standards to Combat Foodborne Diseases

Since June 2023, Cameroon has initiated the “Healthy Food Market” project in two pilot markets located in Douala: Ndogpassi and New Deido. This initiative is designed to transform food safety practices among traders, leveraging scientific evidence to promote behavioral changes within the community.

Zakariaou Mbaimoun, a butcher with two decades of experience at Ndogpassi market, reflects on past practices. “Before, we didn’t pay much attention to hygiene conditions. We used products like formalin to preserve meat, and the cleanliness of our stalls left much to be desired. This can cause diseases,” he acknowledges.

The Scope of Foodborne Diseases

The World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted the significant burden of foodborne diseases. Contaminated food can lead to over 200 diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites, or chemical substances, including heavy metals. In Africa, unsafe food affects more than 91 million individuals and results in approximately 137,000 deaths annually.

In Cameroon alone, over 200 cases of food poisoning were reported in 2024, with 35 of those cases involving children. A 2021 pesticide residue monitoring mission across seven regions and a 2022 hygiene survey in five markets revealed that 70% of samples contained non-compliant pesticides. These findings underscore the prevalence of poor practices in food handling, hygiene, and production, which can lead to contamination throughout the food chain.

Implementation of the “Healthy Food Market” Project

In response to these alarming statistics, the “Healthy Food Market” project was launched to promote compliance with basic hygiene rules and prevent foodborne diseases. Dr. Lusubilo Mwamakamba, WHO Regional Office for Africa’s focal person for food safety, explains that the initiative aims for progressive and sustainable improvements in food safety across markets. This approach involves multiple sectors under the One Health framework, which seeks to manage interconnected risks holistically.

Financial backing from Sweden has enabled WHO to support the project by developing normative documents on food safety, crafting policies and guidelines, and enhancing stakeholders’ capacities in surveillance and outbreak response. Advocacy for integrating food safety into health policies is also a key component of this initiative.

Edouard Nya, Head of the National Laboratory for Diagnostic Analysis of Agricultural Products and Inputs at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, notes that while the concept of food safety does not yet appear in public policy documents, significant efforts are underway to emphasize the urgency of transforming food markets to meet the standards set by the “Healthy Food Market” project.

Public-Private Partnerships and Community Engagement

WHO has facilitated the mobilization of national partners through public-private partnerships. In January 2025, the Douala Autonomous Port contributed sanitation equipment, which enabled hygiene activities and the cleaning of 26 markets in the city. Additionally, WHO has trained 150 community leaders in waste management and 25 stakeholders in food safety, reaching over 3,000 individuals in the two pilot markets.

Mbaimoun notes the positive changes brought about by the project. “Many things have changed thanks to the ‘Healthy Food Market’ project. Agents came several times and each time they raised awareness about the consequences of our bad practices. We became aware and started changing things,” he states.

The project has set three specific objectives: improving governance and coordination among stakeholders, enhancing communication, education, and training on good food hygiene and production practices, and upgrading technical and sanitary infrastructure in markets. With the first two objectives already advanced, the focus will shift to the third.

Dr. Danièle Simnoue Nem, WHO Cameroon’s Nutrition and Food Safety Officer, indicates that funds obtained through public-private partnerships will facilitate improvements in technical and sanitary facilities starting in 2026. “Food safety is a priority for WHO, just like vaccination or epidemic control. It promotes the production and consumption of safe, nutritious food and protects against foodborne diseases,” she emphasizes.

Enhanced Hygiene Practices and Community Feedback

Traders in the pilot markets have made notable changes in their practices. Most no longer display food directly on the ground, and the frequency of cleaning has increased. Each trader is now required to clean their sales area before closing each evening. Waste is stored in designated areas and removed every two days. Some market areas have been filled to mitigate flooding and mud, enhancing food sales conditions, particularly at Ndogpassi market.

Community members have welcomed these improvements. Marie Ekemla, a market user, observes, “Lately, our market is much cleaner. Smoked fish, vegetables, and other products are no longer spread on the ground. This protects us from diseases and reassures us.” Traders are also sharing their knowledge with customers. Mado Enganign mentions, “My butcher often advises me: ‘Meat that has been thawed, left at room temperature, and then refrozen can cause illness.’ These tips help me make better choices.”

Future Measures and Broader Implications

The “Healthy Food Market” project empowers traders in the two pilot markets to take ownership of their workspaces while enhancing safety. Raoul Youpa Kanmani, President of New Deido market traders, states, “Thanks to the project, we have been trained and are better organized. We now pay attention to hygiene and safety to offer a safer market for everyone.”

Future measures include providing drinking water, sanitation, and wastewater drainage to further strengthen the project’s impact. Fidéline Ndewege Djeme, Deputy Director of Hygiene and Sanitation at the Directorate of Health Promotion, notes, “The ‘Healthy Food Market’ project will soon directly contribute to creating a safer sales environment through clean infrastructure, access to drinking water, waste management, and reducing diarrheal diseases. This will help protect vulnerable populations—children, pregnant women, and the elderly—who are most at risk of foodborne diseases.”

According to publicly available www.zawya.com reporting.

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