Alarming rate of mother, child mortality in Cameroon

Health Minister launched a vast programme to boost the health of mothers and children
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Cameroon’s minister of Public Health, Andre Mama Fouda, has expressed concern over the alarming rate of children who die before the age of five years and the number of women who die while giving birth in the country.

“For every 100,000 women, 600-700 die giving birth,” Mama Fouda disclosed at a press briefing at the Yaounde Hilton Hotel, recently, adding that the deaths are due to malaria, HIV/AIDS and malnutrition.

To turn the situation around, Mama Fouda announced a vast campaign on maternal and child health and nutrition through a programme baptized “Week for actions on infant and maternal health and nutrition,” In course of the programme, the minister said, children between 0 and 5 years will be administered vaccines and vitamin A to boost their health and nutrition. Also children in East, South and South West Provinces of the country will be given drugs against parasitic worms.



Meanwhile Nursing mothers, for their part, will be administered preventive treatment against malaria and would also carry out consultations. The minister made it clear that the health campaign which falls in line with the objectives of the millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to which Cameroon adheres, will be free of charge.

It should be noted here that the MDGs, among other things, call for the reduction in infant and maternal mortality by two-thirds and three-quarters, respectively; relative to the 1990 level, target which is supposed to be met by 2015.

Courtesy - Harry Ndienla Yemti