In the first semester of 2020, Cameroonian hospitals recorded 1,170, 829 cases of malaria. Over the same period in 2019, the number of cases recorded was 1,204,183 cases.

According to these statistics from the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP), an agency of the Ministry of Public Health, the country recorded 1,050 deaths caused by the disease between January and May 2020. Over the same period in 2019, the number of deaths caused by this disease was estimated at 1,179.

These figures show a slight drop in the fatality rate. One of the factors that could explain this decrease is the initiatives implemented by the government to fight the disease (the distribution of Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets in seven regions in 2019 notably).

The Covid-19

Nevertheless, authorities estimate that the H1-2020 figures could be misleading and not show the real fatality rate. Indeed? They explain, since the advent of the coronavirus pandemic, patients are less inclined to go to health centers when they are sick fearing getting confused with COVID-19 patients. Therefore, they treat themselves at home.

Dorothy Kah Fosah Achu, secretary of the NMCP, explains to daily newspaper Mutations that according to reports from Adamaoua, the East and the Littoral regions, during the period under review, there was an obvious reduction in the number of sick people who visited health facilities for treatment. This decrease in the level of health facility attendance rate could partially be the reason the fatality rate has decreased, the NMCP believes.

BE