Cameroon: Cameroon Health Profile

The budget appropriation of the Public Health Ministry was XAF 113 billion, up 4.9% over 2008. Health sector initiatives were aimed at combating infectious disease, continuing the expanded immunisation programme and increasing the supply of health care and services.

HIV/AIDS is still a matter of concern for the authorities. The prevalence rate was about 5% in 2009. As regards prevention of mother-child transmission, out of 18 975 pregnant women who tested positive for the virus, 5.7% of the children born tested HIV-positive on the polymerase chain reaction test. To prevent sexual transmission, 33 629 358 condoms were distributed, inclunding 143 593 female condoms.

On the treatment side, the active inventory of persons living with HIV (PLHIVs) under antiretroviral treatment rose from 45 605 in December 2007 to 59 960 at year-end 2008. In 2009, the number of PLHIVs eligible for ARV treatment was estimated at 75 000.

Implementation of the national malaria plan covering the 2007-10 period has improved the treatment and prevention of this disease. In 2008, 1 655 430 doses of artemisinin-based combination therapy were distributed, in addition to the 802 515 doses remaining in stock from the previous year. Moreover, 756 615 treated mosquito nets were distributed to households with children aged under five in four regions, and as of 30 June 2009, 466 250 such nets had been distributed to pregnant women