Cameroon: Public Health Minister installs President Biya's new man

The Minister of Public Health, André Mama Fouda, on Friday, September 18, 2015, commissioned the new General Manager of the Cameroon Essential Drugs Procurement Centre, CENAME. Dr. Joseph Vaillam was formerly Inspector General in charge of Administrative Services in the Ministry of Public Health. He took over from Dr. Taousse Oussoumanou who headed the structure since 2005. Minister André Mama Fouda hailed Dr. Taoussse for his loyal service to the nation, calling on the new General Manager to continue to promote the availability of quality drugs in the country for the good of all. He reminded Dr. Vaillam of the major challenge facing the country, which is the increase in fake drugs in markets. This phenomenon can only be tackled by ensuring the supply of quality drugs, the Minister pointed out.

Born about 1961 in Guider in the North Region, Dr. Joseph Vaillam attended primary and secondary schools in Guider and Tcholliré. After obtaining the Baccalaureat certificate in Government High School Garoua in 1981, he attended the Cheikh Anta Diop University Dakar, Senegal, where he obtained a PhD in Pharmacy in 1987. He was recruited in the Ministry of Public Health in 1987. He later held several posts and in 1994, was promoted the Provincial Chief of Service for Pharmacy, Adamawa. In 2006, he was appointed Inspector of Pharmaceutics and Laboratory Services in the Ministry of Public Health. Since June 6, 2014, he has been Inspector General of Administrative Services in the Ministry of Public Health; a post he occupied till his recent appointment. 

Dr. Vaillam has a rich professional background. Throughout his professional career, he received training in monitoring health activities in Porto Novo, Benin, in 1992, supervision, control and evaluation of pharmaceutical schools in 1995, training of trainers in health planning in 2006, training in internal verification at the Supreme State Control in 2009, 2011 and 2015, among others. Dr. Joseph Vaillam hails from the Mayo Louti Division in the North Region. He is a widower and father of eight children.