Low Reduction In Malaria Parasite Prevalence In Children Under 5 In Cameroon By 2023

The high prevalence of malaria among children aged 6-59 months is a major concern for the Cameroon government, as malaria is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among this vulnerable group. Preventing this disease would considerably reduce the persistent trend in malaria-related morbidity observed among children under 5 in Cameroon, and in the Centre (excluding Yaoundé), East and South regions, which have prevalence rates of 49.1%, 41.4% and 45.6% respectively.

Between 2018 and 2022, the malaria burden in children under five and the prevalence of environmental risk factors worsened significantly, particularly in the Centre, South, and East regions.

Malaria Prevalence in Children Under Five

• National prevalence increased from 24% to 26%.

• Regional trends show sharper increases:

• Centre region: From 47% to 49%.

• Southern region: From 33% to 46%.

• Eastern region: From 35% to 41%.

Environmental Risk Factors

A large proportion of households in the affected regions report environmental conditions conducive to mosquito breeding, such as stagnant puddles, undergrowth, or trees near their dwellings:

• Centre region: 76% of households.

• Southern region: 68.3% of households.

• Eastern region: 61.8% of households.

These findings highlight the urgent need for targeted interventions to reduce malaria prevalence and mitigate environmental risk factors in these high burden regions.