A crucial concern for all!

This multi-step process goes far beyond a few consumables; it is a complex and well-structured process, carefully implemented across the NSIF healthcare facilities.

Hospital/medical waste management refers to all processes which involves sorting, collecting, treating and disposing all sort of waste-be it hazardous or non-hazardous waste (medical or common waste)- by health facilities, with the main goal of protecting healthcare workers, patients and the public, in compliance with environmental protection regulations. 

A multi-phase and complex process.

Waste generation and source segregation constitute the first line of defence. With the numerous department a hospital is made up of, added to the different types of wastes they generate per day-which may complicate the process- the first step consists of separating them at the point of production.

On average, 85% of hospital waste is common waste, comparable to household waste, while 15% is hazardous waste (infectious, chemical, or radioactive).

 Safety is the sine qua non for successful management, and it all starts with rigorous sorting:

-In hospitals, non-hazardous waste is handled similarly as domestic waste and can be recycled or disposed of in conventional sorting centres.

          - On the other hand, hazardous waste is collected in rigid containers or specially designed bags. It must be temporarily stored in a secure location and separated from the ordinary waste stream, to prevent any risk of contamination. The disposal of these waste into sewers, regular bins, conventional recycling systems, or through mechanic compaction is strictly prohibited. Its transport and treatment require special precautions, including incineration, sterilisation or disinfection in specialised internal or external facilities prior to final disposal.

Why all these precautions?

It’s about protecting public health. Improper disposal of medical waste, particularly infectious waste, can lead to the spread of serious diseases. This is because it poses a direct risk to health workers, patients, the public, visitors and waste collectors.

 Environmental protection is also crucial, as hazardous waste can contaminate soil, water and air. A meticulous management helps limit pollution and preserve natural resources.

A well-defined legal framework

In Cameroon, waste management is governed by Decree No. 2012/2809/PM of the 26^th September 2012, which sets out the conditions for sorting, collection, storage, transport, recovery, recycling, treatment and final disposal of waste, with the provisions specified in Article 33. In addition, Order No. 003/MINEPDED of the 15^th October 2012 classifies medical and pharmaceutical waste as category II waste and defines the specific conditions for its management. Healthcare facilities are therefore legally required to comply with these requirements in order to ensure a safe and standard-compliant management.

Towards a circular economy approach

Beyond safety and regulation, hospital waste management is now moving towards a circular economy approach, aiming to reduce consumption and waste of resources. This approach involves reducing waste at source, recycling materials (paper, plastic or metal) and raising staff awareness of eco-friendly practices. This approach not only helps to protect the environment, but also saves money by reducing the costs associated with purchasing raw materials and treating waste.

Honors, tributes, and emotions at their climax

Reflecting on a day full of excitement and color, the 01st of November 2025 marked a memorable day for The National Social Insurance Fund (NSIF), who as usual, had an outstanding impact at the end of the Football tournament ceremony. Spot lights on the day's best moments.

The Annex Stadium No.1 of the Olembe Sports Complex hosted a thrilling encounter between the 2024 Champions (The NSIF Football Team) and the ANOR Team. It was before a large and vibrant crowd of supporters that ‘the bronze medal match’ got off to a flying start, powered by a red-hot attack from the NSIF Team. Their fluid play, in addition to a well-elaborated strategy enabled them to crush all resistance from their opponent and dominate possession.

First half (CNPS 2-0 ANOR)

The deadlock was broken in the 11^th minute when Moctar Tachini- who emerged as the Tournament's leading goal scorer- made a brilliant run down the wing and calmly fired a left-footed shot in the net, hence giving his team the lead. The goal signalled the beginning of hostilities. The 2024 Champions extended their lead with a superb assist from the Captain and Playmaker, Noël Alain Olivier Mekulu Mvondo Akame to Michel Ngaffi, who had provided the assist in the previous move; making it 2-0 at half time.

The NSIF Athletics Club takes centre stage

 At half-time, the youngsters from the NSIF Sports Academy exhibited their racing potential in a 60m, 80m and relay competition. These forty talented young athletes (aged between 4 and 14) earned rapturous applause from the audience, who welcomed the Institution's Top-management's initiative to set up a conducive environment focused on fostering tomorrow's champions.

Second half (NSIF 4-0 ANOR)

Both teams started the second half with great energy, trading blows as they sought to take the lead. But the NSIF captain's vast experience proved decisive, as he delivered a pinpoint pass to Michel Ngaffi for his second goal (3-0), followed by Roger Batoum's goal nine minutes before the end (4-0). ‘We’re truly happy and proud of this win, especially against such a tough team. The result was never guaranteed, and winning a match of this calibre brings us great satisfaction. We equally extend our congratulations to our opponents for their excellent performance’, said the triple passer in the mixed zone.

Tributes to El Hadj Ousmane Mey

This edition of the Inter-Company Football Tournament was dedicated to El Hadj Ousmane Mey, the former President of the Board of Directors of the NSIF (from the 18^th of December 1991 to the 20^th January 2016, editor's note). To honour the memory of the renowned leader, the ceremony included a stadium lap by the NSIF Athletics Club’s young athletes, a reading of his biography, a song, and one minute of standing ovation.

A shower of honors for the NSIF

During this season, NSIF’s flagship football team once again excelled in the 2025 inter-company tournament, made even more competitive by a greater number of participants. Its results are as follows: Gold medal of the championship, Bronze medal cup, Best player of the tournament (Ngaffi), Top scorer (Tachini, 14 goals), and the prize awarded to the patron of this edition: the NSIF Director General, who immediately passed the torch to the Vice-Governor of the BEAC.

This moment served as a reminder of NSIF’s sporting ambitions for 2026: ‘Our objectives remain unchanged. We aim to win both the championship and the Cup. This year, we secured one, but next year we’ll be back to claim both.’

On Wednesday, the 29^th of October 2025, in Yaounde, the National Social Insurance Fund (NSIF) and the General Delegation for National Security (GDNS) signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding aimed at optimising the protection of workers' social rights and modernising mechanisms to combat fraud and incivility.

The ceremony, held at the NSIF Head Office, marks a major step forward in the collaboration between the two institutions, whose shared goal is to ensure compliance with the laws of the Republic.  “It should be noted that the General Delegation for National Security’s main role is to enforce the law, defend institutions and citizens, and ensure that the state functions properly. And we have the assurance of the Director General of National Security that the law will be respected” said the Director General in his welcome speech.

A partnership against fraud and evasion of social contributions.

The NSIFs missions, which focus on recovering social contributions and granting benefits, are regularly compromised by unacceptable practices, such as the non-payment of contributions deducted from workers' salaries, which causes enormous financial losses to the social protection system. This can rightly be interpreted as a genuine desire to undermine the Institution’s ongoing efforts to guarantee active and sustainable social protection for all workers.

The signed protocol strengthens the NSIFs means of action. “Those who have developed the bad habit of evading our social contribution recovery activities, thereby depriving many Cameroonians of their legally entitled social benefits, will be subject to special monitoring by the police through this partnership. We will simply be enforcing the law”, forewarned the Institution's Top Manager. The GDNS will provide enhanced operational support for investigations into violations of social security legislation, which will be dealt with more quickly and rigorously, including hearings, confrontations and reports, within a framework that guarantees free proceedings, thanks to the digital interconnection of the two institutions.

Strengthened border controls

Another major strategic contribution to the NSIF is the reinstatement of social compliance controls at the country's borders. Henceforth, national and expatriate business promoters subject to the social security system will be required to present a valid Social Compliance Certificate (ACS) when applying for a passport or residence permit.  

This Memorandum of Understanding also aims to prevent employers in irregular situations from leaving the country. This will ensure that the contributions due are effectively paid to the NSIF, in accordance with the law. “Mr Director General, your sector of activity is social, and we are aware that this is of paramount importance for our country. You have asked us to perform a task that we consider to be very important. We will do everything in our power to secure the rights of our workers. Moreover, our presence here today, is proof and a guarantee of our willingness to support you in your immense task. You are not alone; we are right here to help you move forward”, reassured the General Delegate for National Security.

A cooperation focused on modernisation and transparency

The NSIF and the GDNS have agreed to digitalise their verification and information exchange procedures. A secure digital platform will soon be set up for the automated verification of affiliation certificates, social compliance certificates and other regulatory documents. This innovation will help reduce document fraud, speed up processes and improve the quality of service provided to users. Furthermore, the protection of personal data is a fundamental pillar of this strategic partnership. Joint operations will be strictly governed by Law No. 2024/017 of 23 December 2024, which guarantees the confidentiality and integrity of shared information.

By signing this Memorandum of Understanding, the NSIF and the GDNS affirm their determination to build a more honest and effective model of governance. This unprecedented synergy illustrates the Cameroon Government’s commitment to protecting social rights, maintaining worker confidence and punishing uncivil behaviour.

Since the 5^th of October 2025, the National Social Insurance Fund (NSIF), with an inclusive and responsible vision of social insurance, has been effecting payment of the special back-to-school allowance to its family allowance beneficiaries.

With the ceaseless yearning to innovate and go beyond its traditional remit in the social insurance domain- targeting meaningful initiatives for insured persons and their families- the NSIF, in compliance with the social policy of the President of the Republic, is carrying out the payment of the special allowance worth CFA francs 54,000 per child; which is equivalent to a one-year family allowances (CFA francs 4,500 x 12 months).

This first social insurance instigation, after deep examination of the various documents submitted, has already contributed to the joy of 49,132 beneficiaries; on behalf of 119,664 children in school and apprenticeships, representing a total amount of CFA francs 6,461,856,000 paid across the country through mobile money. This simple and fast digital system has ensured the smooth and secure payout to its beneficiaries.

Upon payment of this allowance, which began on the 5^th of October 2025, a wave of gratitude and emotion is felt across the country. ‘It's a great sense of relief, especially with the numerous school expenses we are faced with, by this time of the year,’ says Mrs Ngono, a mother of three children in Yaounde. A father in Garoua states: ‘This comes at the right time. It will help me in buying the last few notebooks and pay school tuition,’ while Bridget in Limbe, confides: ‘We weren't expecting it, especially in this hard economic context. It affirms the NSIF closeness to its insured persons.’

Beyond the social impact, beneficiaries also praised the method: "I submitted the school certificate via Sapelli Aïna app and received the money on the 5^th of October", said Daniel, a satisfied recipient in Salapoumbé. This digitalised procedure enabled a rapid processing of applications, for which the submission deadline was extended to Friday the 31^st of October. To ensure that all eligible beneficiaries can benefit from this exceptional measure, claims are received and analysed every day via the e-mail addresses of the Social Insurance Centres and that of the Directorate General: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Also note that payments are ongoing.

By taking this strong action, the Institution asserts itself as a reference social partner, both modern and very close to the realities of Cameroonians, through a proactive management of the social security scheme, where the payment of social contributions effectively guarantees the provision of all social benefits.

YOU WILL NEVER LIVE ALONE.