CIRCB: Centre Looks Beyond HIV Research

Following a full examination of the administrative, store, and management accounts of the Chantal Biya International Reference Centre for Research on the Prevention and Management of HIV/AIDS, CIRCB, for the 2025 financial year, the institution’s Board of Directors, at its 16th ordinary session yesterday, 25 June 2026, said all was in order, though some concerns remained. The session, chaired by the President of the CIRCB Management Committee, Jean Stéphane Biatcha, expressed concern that support from the administrative bodies that contribute to CIRCB’s budget was not always forthcoming. Members therefore appealed, at the end of deliberations, to the administrations that traditionally support CIRCB’s operations to fulfil their obligations. Speaking to the press, CIRCB’s General Manager, Professor Alexis Ndjolo, disclosed that the session had also reviewed the contribution of scientific projects to the institution’s budget. He noted that this contribution was steadily increasing. According to him, a decade ago CIRCB’s budget relied almost entirely on administrative funding. Given the difficulties posed by the current financial climate, the Centre increasingly sought to move away from that dependency and pursue external funding. Prof. Alexis Ndjolo explained that the process that began in 2024, and 2025 had shown that it was achievable. To this end, all projects were listed and appraised, and the Board gave a positive assessment of the financial performance achieved at CIRCB, despite the limited resources available. The General Manager also said concerted efforts were being made to commercialise the Centre’s research products. “That, too, is a funding avenue we can exploit, especially as CIRCB produces publications whose results are held in very high regard, both locally and internationally,” Prof. Alexis Ndjolo explained. Beyond CIRCB, the administration had engaged a consultant to assist in sourcing ex...