Celebrated on September 8, 2026, at the Central Hospital of Yaoundé, International Physiotherapy Day was marked by a solemn oath, an advocacy for the medical recognition of the discipline, and a report of 138 patients treated free of charge. A day that raises the debate on the modernization of the Cameroonian health system.
It is a profession that wants to come out of the shadows. On September 8, 2026, on the occasion of International Physiotherapy Day, the physiotherapy department of the Central Hospital of Yaoundé organized a scientific contest coupled with a strong ethical commitment.
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In front of doctors, students, and healthcare staff, the physiotherapists took an oath: to guarantee patient safety, maintain their skills at the highest level through continuing education, respect professional secrecy, hygiene, and provide appropriate care from a scientific and human perspective. A code of ethics they intend to enforce nationally and internationally.
Beyond the symbol, the message is political. “Etymologically, physiotherapy is therapy through movement. Since 2016, it is no longer a paramedical discipline. It is a medical discipline according to the WHO,” emphasizes the head of this department, Mr. Mvondo. “The boss of the physio is the psychiatrist. On the other hand, a specialist does not talk to a physio in terms of income. It is still the Third World. Mentalities must evolve.”
An advocacy for regulatory update in Cameroon. Experts remind that the brain is the “conductor”: it controls voluntary and involuntary motor skills. “The brain is mapped like Yaoundé. Each cortical area has a specific function,” they explain. Hence the importance of neuro-rehabilitation after a stroke. “You do not massage someone who has had a stroke. It brings no benefit. We must talk about neuro-musculation, neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to create new connections.”
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The week of free clinical activities from September 1 to 7 is proof: 138 patients received, diagnoses made, 8 referred to cardiology, traumatology, neurosurgery, and psychology. Four cases of hypertension at 220 mmHg detected and urgently referred. Nearly 50 patients decided to continue their care.
A demonstration of the social and economic usefulness of the profession in prevention.
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