Cameroon expands early screening to detect kidney disease

Cameroon has rolled out a national early kidney screening program that screened about 35,000 people between August and December 2025 and pairs brief urine, blood and blood-pressure checks with training for primary-care staff.

Chronic kidney disease in Cameroon is often diagnosed late, and many patients begin dialysis soon after first seeing a specialist. To address that pattern, the Ministry of Public Health has launched a national early-detection effort in partnership with Boston-based Carna Health. The screening uses a urine strip read by a smartphone app, a small blood sample and a blood-pressure check, and the results are recorded in a centralized registry. The ministry has also adjusted dialysis financing and is building longer-term plans around transplantation and public outreach. Key facts: - The ministry-funded program screens with urine, blood and blood-pressure checks and pairs testing with digital data collection managed jointly by Carna Health and the health ministry. - About 35,000 people were enrolled and screened between August and December 2025, according to Carna Health. - The government has revised dialysis financing to a flat annual enrollment fee and passed 2025 legislation authorizing organ transplantation nationwide. - The initiative includes training and decision-support tools for non-specialist clinicians, while officials note specialist capacity, consistent follow-up and steady supplies remain limited. Summary: The program aims to identify people at earlier stages of kidney disease and connect them to care pathways so fewer arrive for treatment in crisis. Officials say success will depend on clear referral pathways, available medications, sustained follow-up and health-worker support. A public campaign to promote organ donation and expand services is being prepared, and the long-term impact on urgent dialysis starts is still to be measured.