Promoting Access to Healthcare for People with Disabilities: A presentation of the Inclusive Health Care Strategy of CBC Health Services in Cameroon

Promoting Access to Healthcare for People with Disabilities: A presentation of the Inclusive Health Care Strategy of CBC Health Services in Cameroon

Achataseh Godwill^*, Awa Jacques Chirac

Information Communication Technology (ICT) University, Cameroon Cameroon Baptist Convention (CBC) Health Services

^*Corresponding Author

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.905000512

Received: 15 May 2025; Accepted: 21 May 2025; Published: 25 June 2025

ABSTRACT

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have provided clear guidelines to ensure equal access to healthcare for people with disabilities (PWDs). Despite these global frameworks, PWDs, particularly in developing countries, continue to face significant barriers to essential healthcare services. This paper presents the Inclusive Health Care Strategy developed by the Cameroon Baptist Convention (CBC) Health Services in 2021 as a response to the disparities in healthcare access for PWDs. This strategy emphasizes a holistic approach to healthcare, focusing on both the supply and demand sides of service delivery. Key actions taken include facility capacity assessments, capacity building workshops for healthcare workers, infrastructural remodeling, acquisition of accessible medical equipment, and production of accessible health promotion materials. This paper discusses the successes and challenges of implementing this strategy and highlights its potential to be scaled to other regions in Cameroon and beyond. The CBC Health Services Inclusive Health Care Strategy demonstrates that institutional and structural changes in healthcare can significantly improve access to care for PWDs, serving as a model for other countries aiming to address similar disparities.

Keyordws: Health Care, Inclusive Health, Disabilities, Cameroon, Cameroon Baptist Convention (CBC) Health Services

INTRODUCTION

The World Health Organization defines health as “a complete state of physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (Schramme, 2023). According to the Division for Social Policy and Development (DSPD) and Department if Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), 2016, People with disabilities experience disproportionately high rates of poverty and are often faced with conditions that impact negatively on their health, including lack access to education, sanitary living conditions, clean water and food security, among others are the most vulnerable to diseases. While the need for health care is high among people with disabilities, access to this population remains a global challenge despite international commitments to promote inclusive health services (Jacque. C. et al., 2024, 2024; Kuper et al., 2024). In response to the challenges faced by people living with disabilities, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have established comprehensive frameworks to ensure equal access to healthcare for people with disabilities (UN, 2006, WHO 2020). Despite the existence of these conventions and global most developing countries, including Cameroon are limited in actions to promote access to people with disabilities. According to Hwang et al. (2011), people with disabilities continue to face barriers such as inadequate infrastructure, limited capacity of healthcare workers to provide disability-specific care, and societal stigma.

The 2021 country report focusing on the situational analysis of the rights of people living with disabilities in Cameroon reports the disabled population of Cameroon at 5.4% of the total population (UNPRPD, 2021). Despite her global alignment and the existence of a legal and institutional framework with the Ministry of Social Affairs (MINAS) responsible for the promotion and protection of the rights of people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, people with disabilities continue to encounter challenges accessing essential health services due to physical, attitudinal, and systemic barriers.

To address these gaps, the Cameroon Baptist Convention (CBC) Health Services launched the Inclusive Health Care Strategy in 2021 as part of its vision to provide healthcare to all. This strategy aims to promote equitable access to healthcare for PWDs by implementing structural, organizational, and procedural changes across health facilities in the country. This manuscript presents a detailed overview of the strategy’s implementation, outcomes, and lessons learned, contextualizing it within Cameroon’s healthcare system and the global landscape of disability-inclusive healthcare.

Global Overview of Inclusive Health

Inclusive health aims to ensure that all individuals, including people with disabilities are included in to mainstream health policies and laws, programming, and services, training programs, research, and funding streams (Kuper et al., 2024). The United Nations 2006 Convention on the Rights of people with disabilities in Article 25, emphasized the need for healthcare services to be accessible, of high quality, and provided without discrimination (UN, 2006). The World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted the need for the removal of physical, financial, attitudinal, and systemic barriers to care which aligns with the objectives of the Universal Health Coverage as part of strategy to promote access to health care to people living with disabilities (WHO, 2020, 2023). The World Report on Disability by the WHO further supports this by outlining barriers to healthcare for PWDs and advocating for policies that promote accessible and affordable healthcare services (Krahn, 2011).

According to WHO, barriers faced by people with disabilities are as result of stigma and prejudice. These give birth to different kinds of barriers including the following.

• Physical barriers that prevent access for people with disabilities to health clinics and hospitals.
• Informational barriers that prevent access for persons with disabilities to health literacy and information brochures and leaflets on health promotion, prevention and protection.
• Attitudinal barriers which give rise to discrimination can have severe implications for the rights of people with disabilities, particularly for those with psychosocial disabilities.
• Institutional barriers that include legislation, practices and processes that prohibit access to health services for people with disabilities.

Kuper et al. (2024), argue that people with disabilities experience poorer health outcomes, higher healthcare costs, and face multiple barriers when accessing health services. More importantly, the absence of inclusive health data stands out as a major barrier is the lack of Health which hinders the ability to design effective policies (WHO & World Bank, 2011). This is especially true in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where resources for inclusive health services are limited. In seeking to enhance access to health care for people with disabilities, health actors and development stakeholders have the responsibility to tailor their interventions towards eliminating these barriers (Jacque. C. et al., 2024, Opoku et al., 2017). There is evidence of best practices in promoting inclusive healthcare in different parts of the world. By adopting some of these best practices, developing countries can significantly improve their efforts towards realizing the vision for inclusive healthcare.

Situation of disability and Inclusive Health in Cameroon

According to Cameroon Health Strategy 2016 – 2027 more than 5% of the population suffers from at least one sensory and motor disability (MOH, 2015). While this is seemingly below the 15% estimates the World Health Organization according to the 2011 World Disability Report, it is important to note that no national prevalence study has been carried out in Cameroon. Mindful of the fact that Cameroon is a developing country the 15% WHO estimates can give a fair picture of the situation. Cameroon has in recent years been grappling with attacks by Boko Haram in the Far North and socio-political crisis in the Anglophone regions which has affected life in all the other parts of the Country (Austrian Red Cross/ACCORD, 2024; UNPRPD, 2021). Studies suggest that in the event of crisis, the prevalence of disabilities increases as access to prevention and rehabilitation services becomes very challenging.

It is worth noting that Cameroon is a signatory of the CRPD and its optional protocol, but it has not ratified these instruments. Notwithstanding, there exist a national legal framework for disability inclusion codified by two key instruments: Law N° 2010/002 of 13 April 20102 on the protection and promotion of persons with disabilities and Law N° 2018/6233/PM of 26 July 20183 fixing the modalities of application of law N°2010/002 of 13 April 2010 on the protection and promotion of disabled persons.

According to the National Health Strategy 2016-2027, objective No. 3.4 Cameroon desire to reduce by at least 20% the proportion of the population with at least one correctable disability by 2027. To achieve this, the Ministry of Health has designed two strategies which include the establishment of an integrated and coordinated policy for disability management including mental disability and decentralizing the management of disability interventions.

While Cameroon has ratified the CRPD and developed a National Health Development Plan, which includes provisions for disability inclusion, the practical implementation of these provisions has been slow (MOH, 2015). Many public healthcare facilities remain inaccessible, and the lack of government investment in inclusive health services further exacerbates the problem. Additionally, most healthcare workers have not received adequate training on how to interact with or treat people with disabilities, contributing to ongoing disparities in healthcare access and outcomes for this population (Orams, 2018; UNPRPD, 2021). People with disabilities face significant barriers to healthcare access, including the lack of inclusive infrastructure, inadequate policies, and insufficient training for healthcare providers and individuals with disabilities in developing countries are more likely to report not receiving care when they need it due to financial, physical, and communication barriers (WHO & World Bank, 2011). According to Kuper et al. (2024) coverage and quality of health-care services are often worse for people with disabilities than people without disabilities and probably contribute to the life expectancy gap.

In line with specific requirements for access to health care services, access to health care for people with disabilities is highly challenged by the following factors.

Accessibility of Services

While article 33 of the Law No. 2010/002 mentions in its first paragraph that Public and private buildings and institutions open to the public must be designed to facilitate access and use by persons with disabilities, most infrastructures including healthcare facilities in Cameroon lack the necessary infrastructure to accommodate the needs of people with disabilities (UNPRPD, 2021). The absence of adequately equipped facilities to meet the needs of people with disabilities limits their ability to access services like consultations, treatment, or rehabilitation. This includes physical barriers like the absence of ramps, accessible bathrooms, or appropriate signage in Braille.

Human Resource Capacity

Cameroon faces a critical shortage in health human resources, with acute deficits not only in the number of providers but also in their capacity to deliver disability-inclusive healthcare services (MOH, 2016). There are limited resources to cover for specialized care relevant to the needs of people with disabilities. These services, such as rehabilitation, audiology, speech therapy, and assistive technology services are relevant in the development of people with disabilities.

Inclusive health highlights the need to reform medical and nursing curricula to include disability rights, accessibility standards, and inclusive practices at all training levels (Opoku et al., 2017). Health workers lack awareness and understanding of the unique healthcare needs of people with disabilities, which can lead to discrimination or inadequate care (Tandi et al., 2015). This is exacerbated by the limited availability of specialized medical staff, such as rehabilitation specialists or audiologists, who can address the specific health conditions that are more prevalent among people with disabilities.

Financial Barriers

People in poor countries tend to have less access to health services than those in better-off countries, and within countries, the poor have less access to health services (Peters et al., 2008). While lack of financial resources creates barriers to accessing services for all, people with disabilities face a bigger challenge. People with disabilities face significant financial constraints that prevent them from accessing healthcare as the cost of care significantly increase with disability (Peters et al., 2008; Zuurmond et al., 2019). It is worth noting that the majority people with disabilities live in poverty, and the cost of healthcare services, along with transportation to and from facilities, makes it difficult for them to seek timely medical attention. With the declining economic situation in Cameroon, many more people with disabilities are unable to afford for basic health and social services (Oumar & Sama, 2017). While Cameroon has made efforts to offer free or subsidized healthcare services to certain vulnerable groups, most of these programs do not adequately respond to the health needs of people living with disabilities. Building on results of a study conducted in 3 different countries, Pinilla-Roncancio et al. (2020), people with disabilities face significantly higher levels of poverty and the intensity of their poverty is higher.

Limited Data on Disability Inclusion

According to Abualghaib et al. (2019), data plays a key role in identifying healthcare disparities, estimating service needs, guiding resource allocation, and evaluating intervention outcomes. Without reliable data, policymakers cannot accurately assess the health status or service utilization of PWDs, resulting in underfunded services and exclusion from critical public health efforts. While disaggregated data is essential for tracking progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those focused on health equity and universal health coverage (UHC), it has received limited attention on the global data and social policy scene (Mitra et al., 2023). There are few global data portals or indices tracking the socioeconomic situation of people with disabilities.

Cameroon has not made considerable progress in the collection of disability disaggregated. While there exists a National Health Information System (NHI), data on the promotion of access to healthcare for people with disabilities is absent, undermining efforts to create an inclusive health system.  The significant gap in health data on people with disabilities in Cameroon, impedes effective planning and policy implementation. Disability related variables have not been included in the national health information systems and data collection tools. Dean et al. (2018) affirms this by affirming that the realization of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities requires a shift in health system responses to chronic disease and disability. To him, this is beyond medical management and cure of disability to strengthening inclusive health systems that provide a full continuum of care that is people-centered and rights-based.

The role of CBC Health Services in Promoting Inclusive Health

The Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services (CBCHS) is a Non-profit, Faith-based, Humanitarian and Inclusive Organization that offers holistic care to all who need it as an expression of Christian love. As of 2023, the CBC Health Services runs the second largest network of health facilities in the country after the Government with 15 Hospitals, 27 Integrated Health Centers and 54 Primary Health Centers operating in 8 of the Cameroons 10 Regions. The CBC Health Services currently runs 15 Public Health programs that address human suffering and wellbeing for people across all social categories and has continually intensified its services to vulnerable, underserved and underprivileged populations, using inclusive approaches.

The CBC Health Services through her Services for People with Disabilities has been a leader in advocating for the rights of people with disabilities and promoting access to disability-inclusive health services. In response to the gaps in the Cameroonian healthcare system, the Cameroon Baptist Convention (CBC) Health Services has played a pivotal role in promoting inclusive health for people with disabilities. The Strategy adopted through her Program for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities runs within 12 CBC Health facilities. This strategy focuses on addressing both the demand and supply sides of healthcare for people with disabilities by enhancing the capacity of healthcare facilities, training healthcare providers, and addressing infrastructural challenges to make health facilities more accessible (CBC Health Services, 2023).

METHODOLOGY

The CBC Health Services used a mixed-method approach to develop and test the Inclusive Health Care Strategy. A combination of quantitative and qualitative data was collected through facility capacity assessments, surveys, and focus group discussions involving key stakeholders, including people with disabilities, healthcare providers, and community leaders. The process for the implementation of the inclusive health strategy involved the following.2

Facility Capacity Assessments: These assessments were conducted across 12 CBC health facilities to determine the infrastructure, service packages, and human resource capacity to deliver disability-inclusive healthcare. Key areas of focus included the physical accessibility of facilities, availability of accessible medical equipment, and the preparedness of healthcare workers to meet the needs of people with disabilities.

Surveys and Focus Group Discussions: Surveys were administered to people with disabilities, women, children, and the elderly to capture the specific barriers they face in accessing healthcare. Focus group discussions provided further qualitative insights into the lived experiences of people with disabilities when seeking healthcare services.

Capacity Building Workshops: Based on the findings from the assessments, CBC Health Services conducted training workshops for hospital administrators, service providers, and auxiliary staff on the principles of inclusive health and disability mainstreaming.

Facility Level Remodeling’s and Adaptation: To enhance the quality and inclusivity of services, investments were made in the remodeling of facilities to close the gaps identified during the facility assessments.

RESULTS

Capacity Assessments

The capacity assessments revealed significant gaps in the ability of healthcare facilities to provide inclusive services. For instance, most facilities lacked accessible infrastructure, such as ramps, and adjustable examination beds. Additionally, healthcare workers had limited training on how to accommodate the needs of people with disabilities, and data collection systems did not capture disability-related information comprehensively.

Infrastructure and Equipment

As part of the Inclusive Health Strategy, six facilities were remodeled to improve physical accessibility. This included the installation of ramps, accessible restrooms, and signage in Braille. In addition, accessible medical equipment such as adjustable scales and examination beds was provided to accommodate people with disabilities. While most facilities had provisions for ramps for general movement of clients who could not walk using wheelchairs and hospital beds, specific attention was not given to the accessibility needs of people with disabilities.

Training and Human Resource Development

Over 2,000 healthcare workers from 12 facilities and five health districts were trained on inclusive health practices and disability mainstreaming. These workshops significantly enhanced the capacity of healthcare workers to identify and respond to the specific healthcare needs of people with disabilities. As of 2021, less than 5% of staff in these institutions had access to information on inclusive health care.

Health Promotion and Data Collection

To ensure that health information is accessible to all, CBC Health Services developed and distributed health promotion materials in multiple formats, including Braille, sign language videos, and easy-to-read brochures. Additionally, data collection tools were revised to include disability-related fields, facilitating the tracking of healthcare outcomes for people with disabilities.

Service Uptake

Since the implementation of the strategy, over 15,515 people with disabilities have accessed healthcare services through CBC Health Services facilities. Notably, people with disabilities have reported improvements in the quality of care received, particularly in terms of healthcare providers’ responsiveness to their needs. It is worth noting that before the implementation of this initiative, disability was not reflected in data collection tools of the organization and despite the face that people with disabilities were provided care, there was no evidence to attest to this.

Challenges faced by CBC Health Services in the implementation of Inclusive Health

While the implementation of the inclusive health strategy is a critical step toward ensuring equitable access to healthcare for all, the process is often met with a range of complex challenges. The following challenges can be observed from CBC Health Services, which could be common with other developing countries and low resource settings.

Lack of a base line

Baseline data is indispensable in informing program design and implementation. Unfortunately, the design and implementation of this strategy was highly limited in that no baseline was conducted. Implementation began without accurate documentation of baseline information on the number and needs of people with disabilities accessing services. The absence of data in health programming impairs effective planning, target-setting, program performance monitoring. While accessibility audits were conducted for accessibility financial constraint limited the scope of implementation as other aspects such staff attitudes and institutional culture which are often missing or underdeveloped yet impact program realization.

Resistance to change

Change management is a crucial but often underestimated component of inclusive health projects. Health workers may see inclusion as an added burden rather than a core responsibility. Resistance always stems from misconceptions about disabilities resulting to staff unconsciously expressing prejudices against disabled individuals (Kuper et al., 2024). Taking into consideration the contextual realities and the specificities of people with disabilities, inclusive health cannot be achieved with specific prioritization and engagement from both leadership and the operational teams.

Resource Constrains

While health facilities are becoming conscious of the need to enhance access to health care for people with disabilities, efforts are retarded by limited finances. The implementation of inclusive health requires a degree of service upgrade and infrastructural modifications to enhance mobility, communication and access to services (Lanzi et al., 2023; Marjadi et al., 2023). Unfortunately, limited resources settings like Cameroon have a challenge of health care financing as funding from either internal budgets or donors is often limited. As a result, health care providers are bound to focus on the general provisions and do not see it necessary to make disability inclusion a specific priority in their planning and budgeting. Realizing inclusive health projects is highly dependent on support from external agencies.

DISCUSSION AND WAY FORWARD

The successful implementation of the Inclusive Health Care Strategy by CBC Health Services demonstrates that targeted investments in infrastructure, training, and organizational change can significantly improve access to healthcare for people with disabilities. The strategy aligns with global guidelines from the WHO and CRPD and provides a replicable model for other regions in Cameroon and beyond. However, challenges remain, particularly in terms of sustainability and government engagement. Most of the inclusive health interventions have been led by CBC Health Services, with limited involvement from public health institutions. Ensuring the long-term success of these efforts will require stronger partnerships between government agencies and non-governmental organizations.

Building on global frameworks and evidence of successful implementation of inclusive health strategies in different parts of the world and the ratification of the convention of the rights of persons with disabilities by the Cameroon government, there is a pressing need to institutionalize disability inclusion within the broader framework of the National Health Sector Strategy (NHSS 2016–2027). This simply emphasizes equity and access to quality care for all. This will require not just isolated efforts but collective efforts under the leadership of the Ministry of Public Health and other relevant actors including Disabled Persons Organizations (DPOs), Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs), and community leaders. It is essential to conduct national baseline assessments to identify gaps in infrastructure, staffing, and service delivery specific to persons with disabilities. The findings from this assessment will be relevant in informing policy reforms which should prioritize the development of national guidelines and operational standards for inclusive health, which should be adapted and enforced at all levels of the health system. Strengthening collaboration with stakeholders. These approaches should be underpinned by sustained advocacy to secure dedicated budget lines for accessibility upgrades, human resource development, assistive devices, inclusive service delivery approaches and monitoring and evaluation systems.

In this process, inclusive health must not be viewed as an add-on but as an essential component of quality healthcare and a key determinant in defining the effectiveness of Cameroon’s health system in delivering universal health coverage (WHO, 2020, 2023).

CONCLUSION

The promotion of inclusive health, particularly in LMICs such as Cameroon, requires a multi-faceted approach that addresses both physical and systemic barriers. While Cameroon has made progress by ratifying the CRPD and incorporating disability inclusion into its National Health Development Plan, much work remains to be done in terms of practical implementation. The efforts of CBC Health Services demonstrate that significant improvements can be made through targeted investments in infrastructure, capacity building, and data collection. The success of the CBC Health Services Inclusive Health Care Strategy highlights the potential for scaling these efforts nationwide, particularly in terms of capacity building, infrastructural improvements, and data-driven policy development. The implementation of this strategy in 12 CBC Health Services facilities has indicated the need to expand it to other health facilities within the region. With the support of CBC Health Services, this strategy is now being implemented through a system-strengthening approach in five health districts of the Northwest region. These efforts align with global best practices and provide a model that can be replicated across other regions of Cameroon and beyond.

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