Yaounde Caravan Sensitises Inhabitants On Malaria

There was frenzy along some major streets in the capital city, Yaounde, last Saturday April 19 as the population rushed for flyers, T-shirts and messages on malaria prevention distributed by a one-kilometre long caravan. Organised by the country office of the non-governmental organisation, Malaria No More, in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health, Cameroon Oil Transportation Company (COTCO) and ExxonMobil Foundation, the caravan aimed at reaching over 10,000 people who did not yet have access to malaria prevention and treatment messages broadcast over the media.

The caravan that was composed of several dozens of vehicles transported anti-malaria crusaders and K.O. Palu ambassadors, ambled through popular neighbourhoods such as Melen, Obili, Biyem-Assi, Etoug-Ebe, Mokolo, Tsinga, Etoudi, Mimboman and the Central Post Office Roundabout. "It is important that we inform the population on simple steps to prevent and protect their families from the disease that kills over 2,000 people in the country every year," Malaria No More's Country Director, Olivia Ngou told CT.

At the Rond Point Express in the Biyem-Assi neighbourhood, the animators used a 30-minute stop to sensitise the residents of the area through quizzes, demonstrations of rapid malaria tests and proper use of insecticide-treated bed nets while placing emphasis on the affordability of malaria diagnosis and treatment fixed at FCFA 500 in all public health institutions.

However, good news came from the Permanent Secretary of the National Malaria Control Programme, Dr Etienne Fundjo, who disclosed that the morbidity rate of malaria has dropped from 41 per cent in 2008 to 27 per cent in 2013 while the use of insecticide-treated bed nets has risen from 13 per cent to 39 per cent among the Cameroonian population in general.

Last Saturday's sensitisation caravan was one of the first major activities organized to commemorate World Malaria on April 25, 2014.