Cameroon has an estimated 501,000 adults living with HIV, while approximately 21,000 new infections occur each year, according to the latest findings of the Cameroon Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (CAMPHIA) 2024–2025.
The national survey, released in June 2026, found that HIV prevalence among adults aged 15 years and above stands at 3.0 per cent, equivalent to about half a million people living with the virus. Among adults aged 15–49 years, prevalence was estimated at 2.6 per cent, with women disproportionately affected at 3.6 per cent, compared with 1.6 per cent among men.
The assessment also estimates that around 21,000 adults contract HIV each year, with women accounting for nearly three-quarters of new infections. Annual HIV incidence among adults aged 15–49 years was 0.15 per cent, rising to 0.24 per cent among women, compared with 0.06 per cent among men.
While the findings point to continued transmission of the virus, they also highlight encouraging progress in treatment. The survey found that 72 per cent of all adults living with HIV had achieved viral load suppression, meaning the virus had been reduced to levels that significantly lower the risk of transmission and improve long-term health outcomes.
Cameroon also met the second and third components of the global 95-95-95 HIV targets. Among adults who knew their HIV status, 96.4 per cent were receiving antiretroviral therapy, while 95 per cent of those on treatment had achieved viral suppression. However, only 77.1 per cent of adults living with HIV were aware of their status, leaving the country short of the first target and highlighting the need for expanded HIV testing and early diagnosis.
Regional disparities remain significant. HIV prevalence among adults aged 15 years and above ranged from 1.5 per cent in the Far North Region to 5.6 per cent in the Northwest Region. The Adamawa, Centre (excluding Yaoundé), East, Littoral (excluding Douala), Northwest, South and Southwest regions all recorded prevalence rates above the national average.
The survey further revealed that HIV prevalence increases with age, reaching 8.3 per cent among women aged 50–54 years and 5.1 per cent among men of the same age group. Women aged between 20 and 39 consistently recorded higher prevalence than their male counterparts.
Conducted between September 2024 and January 2025, CAMPHIA assessed more than 25,000 adults nationwide. Led by the Government of Cameroon through the Ministry of Public Health and the National Institute of Statistics, with support from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other partners, the survey concludes that although Cameroon has made notable gains in HIV treatment, the epidemic remains a major public health challenge.
The report recommends intensifying community-based HIV testing and early diagnosis, particularly among women and vulnerable populations, to reduce new infections and accelerate progress towards ending the HIV epidemic.
