On the occasion of his departure from Cameroon after five years at the head of the  Centre Pasteur of Cameroon (CPC), Dr. Mirdad Kazanji was honored during a warm and appreciative ceremony held on July 1, 2026, at the Hilton in Yaoundé, organized at the initiative of the Minister of Public Health.

This meeting took place in the presence of many dignitaries, including Mr. Boukar Oumate, Inspector General of Administrative Services and representative of the Minister of Public Health, Mr. Grégoire Owona, Minister of Labor and Social Security, Professor Louis-Richard Ndjok, Secretary General of the Ministry of Public Health, as well as several heads of diplomatic missions accredited in Cameroon, including His Excellency Sylvain Riquier, Ambassador of France, and His Excellency Jean-Christophe Heidsieck, Ambassador of the Sovereign Order of Malta. Also present were Dr. Magaran Monzon Bagayoko, WHO Representative in Cameroon, members of the Board of Directors of the Centre Pasteur of Cameroon, partners, collaborators, and many guests.

In his talk, Dr. Mirdad Kazanji went over the main achievements during his time in charge, which saw a big transformation of the institution. Key projects included building and opening the new Hygiene and Environment Laboratory (LHE), setting up the National and Inter-State Polio Laboratory, and upgrading the scientific platforms, especially in molecular biology and entomology. The Director General also highlighted the strengthening of the national presence of the Pasteur Center of Cameroon in Yaoundé, Douala, and Garoua, the development of vaccination centers, and the conclusion of numerous strategic partnerships that contributed to the institution’s reputation. Dr. Mirdad Kazanji made a point of expressing his deep gratitude to the Cameroonian authorities, especially the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Finance, as well as to the technical and financial partners, donors, and all the teams at the Centre Pasteur of Cameroon, whose dedication made these numerous achievements possible.

Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Public Health, Mr. Boukar Oumate praised a five-year term marked by remarkable commitment to public health and scientific research. He particularly highlighted the continued modernization of the Centre Pasteur of Cameroon, the strengthening of its scientific influence, the increase in its capacity to address major health challenges, the mobilization of funding, the intensification of international collaborations, as well as the ongoing support provided for the training and mentoring of young researchers.

This tribute ceremony was an opportunity to celebrate Dr. Mirdad Kazanji’s career and highlight the significant progress made under his leadership, which has strongly reinforced the Centre Pasteur of Cameroon’s position as a reference institution in research, public health, and scientific innovation in Cameroon and Central Africa.