Fighting Malaria: Centre and South Regions Cry out for Mosquito Nets

Inhabitants of the Centre and South Regions of Cameroon may soon have long-lasting impregnated mosquito nets (LLINs – MILDA) in their homes.

Their plea for Government to look into the situation was brought to the forefront by some Civil Society Oganisations during a press conference this November 9, 2023.

During the encounter with the pressman, one of the representatives of the CSOs, Joseph Wato, explained that since 2016, inhabitants of the Centre Region have not received the mosquito nets meanwhile those in the South Region lastly received them in 2021.

To buttress their demands, the CSOs presented statistics indicating that malaria is prevalent in these two regions, unfortunately.

What Exactly is the Problem?

A representative of Impact Santé Afrique, organizers of the press conference explains that the money (10 billion CFAF) for the purchase of the nets is available but the service provider from the call to tender is yet to be identified.

Unconfirmed sources say a service provider had been selected but their contract was annulled due to a complaint deposited by another service provider who was in the call to tender race.

“Malaria cannot wait; the mosquito nets need to be purchased and distributed,” one of the members of the CSOs retorted.

Why only Two Regions in Need out of Ten?

Officials from Impact Santé Afrique explain that the other eight regions of Cameroon had their bed nets thanks to a partnership with the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria signed in February 2015.

Following the agreement, Cameroon has been benefitting from support with MILDA nets in eight regions meanwhile the mosquito bed nets in the remaining two regions, the Centre and South, are to provided by the Government.

Way Forward towards Acquiring Mosquito Nets in Centre and South Regions

With the present situation at hand, the Civil Society Organizations propose the following as solutions;

– The acceleration of the procedure towards getting a service provider to purchase and distribute the nets not forgetting logistics including the cost of transporting and distributing the bed nets.

– Mitigating the lateness by assisting the decentralized authorities with what they can use to fight malaria especially spraying neighbourhoods

– Fully involving CSOs in the implementation of these measures

If all goes well, the inhabitants of the Centre and South Regions of Cameroon may have their own long-lasting impregnated mosquito bed nets soon.

Eleanor Ayuketah Ngochi