Cameroon has prohibited any public discussions about the health of its 91-year-old President Paul Biya, drawing criticism from media advocates.

Interior Minister Paul Atanga Nji outlawed discussions about the president's health, saying it is now considered a national security issue.

"Any debate in the media about the president's condition is therefore strictly prohibited. Offenders will face the full force of the law," Nji wrote in an October 9 letter to regional governors.

He also instructed governors to establish units to monitor violations in private media and social networks.

This move follows widespread speculation about Biya's health after his prolonged absence from public view.

Biya last appeared at the China-Africa forum in Beijing in early September. Meanwhile, he was absent at the United Nations General Assembly in New York and a summit in France.

Ranking government officials have assured the public that the president was "in good health" and had made a private trip to Europe.

Journalists and press freedom advocates have criticized the new policy, tagging it as censorship.

"Trying to hide behind national security on such a major issue of national importance is outrageous," said Angela Quintal, head of the Committee to Protect Journalists Africa Program.

Cameroon, a key producer of cocoa and oil, has had only two presidents since gaining independence in the 1960s.

Biya has led the country since 1982, following the resignation of former president Ahmadou Ahidjo.

The country is viewed as rife with corruption at all levels of government.

In 2023, Transparency International placed Cameroon at number 140 on a list of 180 countries ranked from least to most corrupt.