Cameroon recorded 2.9 million malaria cases and 1,756 deaths in 2023, marking a decline from the previous year’s 3.3 million cases and 2,481 deaths, according to the latest report from the Ministry of Public Health.

The report indicated that 2019 saw the highest number of cases, exceeding 3 million, and was the deadliest year with 4,510 deaths. However, the number of malaria-related deaths in 2022 was the lowest in nearly a decade, and a downward trend in malaria deaths has been observed since 2019. “From 2019 to 2023, the malaria-related mortality rate per 100,000 people exposed to malaria decreased by 64%, dropping from 17.7 to 6.3,” the report stated.

Despite these improvements, Cameroon still ranks poorly on the World Health Organization’s list, standing 9th among the 11 countries most affected by malaria globally. In 2023, “28% of consultation reasons (10,617,542 people were seen in consultations in health facilities, of which 2,977,754 cases of confirmed malaria),” and the disease accounted for 7.9% of hospitalizations in health facilities, according to the Ministry of Public Health.

Furthermore, malaria was responsible for 7.3% of the deaths recorded in health facilities, meaning out of 23,979 deaths from all causes, 1,756 were due to malaria.

L.A.