To respond to the provisions of the ACRWC and the recommendations of the initial report,
Cameroon has laid emphasis on improving the health situation of the mother and the
child.
Health of the Child
In accordance with the recommendations made by the African Committee of Experts on
the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC), the health situation of the child improved
significantly, following the implementation of measures such as:
- enlarging the health map by setting up new health centres (as at 2015, there are 1 801
public integrated health centres, 898 private health facilities, 181 district hospitals, 12
regional hospitals, 189 health districts);
- developing a multi-sector strategy to combat malnutrition;
- carrying out malnutrition screening campaigns during Action Weeks for Infant and
Maternal Health and Nutrition (SASNIM) twice a year;
- setting up centres for caring malnourished children;
- administering Vitamin A twice a year, in households, to all children from 0 to 5 years and
to all women who have just given birth (0-8 weeks);
- implementing the WASH project (improving hygiene conditions);
- increasing resources to combat malnutrition;
- reviewing the PPAC 2015–2019;
- controlling poliomyelitis (preventive and fight-back campaigns): National Immunisation
Days (NIDs) and Local Immunisation Days (LIDs);
- controlling vaccine-preventable diseases (Poliomyelitis, Measles, Yellow Fever, Neonatal
tetanus, etc.); ;
- support by the HSS/GAVI guided by the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI);
- Strengthening of the Health System (SHS);
- popularising the implementation of the Minimum Package of Activities (MPA) and the
Complementary Package of Activities (CPA) in health districts;
- developing an operational referral system;
- enhancing partnerships in the health sector.
To these actions can be added those relating to the immunisation of children against
diseases such as Measles (70.66%), Polio 3 (69.8%), DTCOQ3 (68.4%) and BCG
(87.1%)) (see table in Annex); the introduction of new vaccines in the Expanded
Programme on Immunisation (EPI) (Pneumo 13: vaccine against pneumonia, Rotarix:
vaccine against rotavirus diarrhoeas); the attainment by Cameroon of the neonatal tetanus
elimination status, which is a de-worming campaign to eradicate intestinal worms in
7 528 000 children of school-going age and in households, to prevent them from
helminthiases and schisostomiases.
As regards malaria control, actions focused on the Home Management of simple Malaria
(PECADOM); free care of simple and complicated malaria in children from 0 to 5 years;
the free chemoprevention of malaria in children aged below five in targeted areas; the free
distribution of LLINs (to 80% of households and routinely among pregnant women) and
intensifying Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT) of malaria.
Thanks to these
measures the following results were achieved:
- 80% of children aged below 5 sleep under long-lasting insecticide nets;
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