Human Resource Development Plan Aims to Transform Health Sector

Bangui, November 7, 2025 – The Central African Republic has launched one of its most transformative health initiatives as part of the country’s National Development Plan: the Human Resource Development Plan for the Health Sector. This flagship program aims to strengthen national healthcare capacity by improving training, working conditions, and the equitable distribution of qualified health professionals across the country – a decisive step toward ensuring universal access to quality healthcare services.

Project Overview

With a total investment of USD 43 million, the plan is a public project financed through grants, national funds, and public borrowing. Implemented under Strategic Area 2 of the National Development Plan, Human Capital and Access to Basic Social Services, it focuses on the rehabilitation and expansion of the National University Hospital Center of Bangui (CNHUB), the country’s leading medical institution.

The project will increase hospital capacity from 117 to 318 beds and introduce new services, including an emergency medical unit (SMUR), psychiatry, and pneumology departments. It will also modernize infrastructure, equipment, and facilities to improve service quality and reduce overall healthcare costs for the population. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2028.

Objectives

The core objective of the project is to address the country’s critical shortage of qualified health professionals and modernize the infrastructure required for effective training, care, and management. Specifically, the initiative seeks to:

• Strengthen national capacity by training doctors, nurses, and specialists capable of providing high-quality medical services across all regions.

• Improve access to healthcare by expanding hospital infrastructure and increasing the number of available beds at the CNHUB.

• Reduce the cost of healthcare for citizens through better resource allocation, modernized equipment, and improved service efficiency.

• Support government efforts to close the gap in health infrastructure and personnel as part of its broader human capital development strategy

Completed and Upcoming Activities

The technical and economic feasibility study, financed by the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) and conducted by COMETE International, was completed in 2022. This study provided the baseline for defining the project’s technical and financial needs.

Next steps include the validation of the final feasibility study, preparation and launch of construction tenders as well as the execution of rehabilitation and extension works.

Expected Results

Once completed, the CNHUB will operate with a total capacity of 318 beds, fully equipped with modern medical technologies. It will offer expanded emergency, psychiatric, and pneumology services with two new operating rooms and specialized units such as forensic medicine and vital-care facilities for critical cases. In addition, it will serve as a training hub for medical professionals, enabling a new generation of Central African health workers to be educated locally in modern conditions.

Major Benefits

The project promises wide-ranging social and economic benefits. It will lead to a marked improvement in the quality of care, easing overcrowding in hospitals, while enhanced patient management through new facilities and medical equipment will enable faster diagnoses and more effective treatment. Beyond health outcomes, the project will create new jobs during both construction and operation. At the same time, it will expand medical specialization in key areas such as psychiatry, respiratory care, and emergency medicine – fields that are vital to building a resilient national health system.

Strategic Relevance

By investing in human capital and modernizing medical infrastructure, the Human Resource Development Plan for the Health Sector stands as a cornerstone of the Central African Republic’s path toward inclusive and sustainable development. It reflects a broader vision – one where public health becomes both a social priority and a foundation of economic resilience.

With this initiative, the country moves closer to achieving universal access to quality healthcare, ensuring that every Central African citizen can benefit from a stronger, fairer, and more responsive health system.