REPUBLIQUE DU CAMEROUN Paix – Travail – Patrie
MINISTERE DE LA SANTE PUBLIQUE
SECRETARIAT GENERAL
DIRECTION DE LA LUTTE CONTRE LA MALADIE, LES EPIDEMIES ET LES PANDEMIES
PROGRAMME NATIONAL DE LUTTE CONTRE LE PALUDISME
SECRETARIAT PERMANENT
REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON Peace – Work – Fatherland
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC HEALTH
GENERAL SECRETARIAT
DIRECTORATE FOR THE FIGHT AGAINST DISEASE, EPIDEMICS AND PANDEMICS
NATIONAL MALARIA CONTROL PROGRAMME
PERMANENT SECRETARIAT
PRESS DECLARATION OF THE MINISTER OF
PUBLIC HEALTH ON THE OCCASION OF
THE 13th WORLD MALARIA DAY
25th APRIL 2020
ENGLISH VERSION
The Country Representative of the World Health Organization, The Secretary of State of Public Health in charge of the fight against epidemics and pandemics; Madam Secretary General of the Ministry of Public Health, Ladies and Gentlemen, Representatives of Partner Organizations; Representatives of Civil Society Organizations; Dear media men and women; Ladies and Gentlemen,
Cameroon joins the international community on the 25th April 2020 to commemorate the 13th World Malaria Day (WMD). The theme this year is 'Zero malaria, Starts with Me'. It is time to mark the successes achieved in the fight against malaria, to underline each person's responsibility in eliminating malaria within a generation and to encourage political leaders to step up the fight to bring us closer to a malaria-free world. This year, progress is threatened by the COVID-19 pandemic and we must, more than ever, ensure that concrete action is taken to continue saving lives.
The assessment made after these past twenty (20) years of intense efforts against this disease, shows a significant reduction in malaria prevalence in the world and in Cameroon in particular. At the national level, the prevalence rate of malaria has reduced from 30% in 2011 to 24% in 2018. This result is the result of the implementation of policies and strategies such as:
- Free Intermittent Preventive Treatment for pregnant women since 2005;
- Free treatment of uncomplicated and severe malaria in children under 5 since February 2011 and 2014 respectively;
- The reduction of the cost of diagnosis and treatment of simple malaria in health facilities to less than 500 F CFA;
- Free distribution of Long-Lasting Insecticide-Treated Nets (LLINs) to the entire population and
- Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention for children aged 03 to 59 months in the Far North and North regions during heavy rains, implemented since 2016.
Despite these efforts, malaria remains a public health problem and has been on the rise since 2016. In total, about 6 million cases and eleven thousand (11,000) deaths occur each year and children under the age of 5 account for around 60% of cases and deaths.