Other Program Locations

Cameroon

Established: 1998
Workshops: 7
Follow-up Workshops: 5
Projects: 87

PSBH Workshops: 6
PSBH Follow-up Workshops: 5
PSBH Workshop Participants: 89 (since 2003)
PSBH Projects: 87 (since 2003)

PSBHI Workshops: 1
PSBHI Follow-up Workshops:
PSBHI Workshop Participants:
PSBHI Projects:

Contact Information:
National Coordinator - PSBH, CBH
Paul Tan
Tel: (237) 7756584
Email: pvernyuy@yahoo.com

The Communication for Better Health^® (CBH^®) program began in 1998 after local discussion of the lack of current medical information in Cameroon. The solution was to create a publication that would be easy to read, informative, and accessible to health professionals all over the country. The Cameroon Health Digest is primarily distributed to health care providers and health care users in rural areas where advanced medical personnel, health literature, and access to Internet facilities are lacking. In order to achieve the maximum measurable impact, distribution has been concentrated, though not entirely limited to, the two English-speaking provinces of the country.

The content of the digest includes abstracts of health publications from the Internet, results of case studies and research work carried out by local health professionals and scientific researchers, and fact sheets on public health issues. Emphasis is on the epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of common diseases such as malaria, malnutrition, gastrointestinal diseases, typhoid fever, goiter/iodine deficiency, poliomyelitis, onchocerciasis, diabetes, STIs/STDs, and HIV/AIDS. A section of the digest is devoted to providing information about useful health tips, such as the proper use of antibiotics, the need for touch in children, yawning and your health, the health attributes of laughter, the healing power of water, and fighting the urge to smoke.

The digest is also used as a medium to communicate information about Problem Solving for Better Health^® (PSBH^®) workshops, follow-up workshops, and the health projects generated at these workshops.

The first PSBH workshop in Cameroon was held in Bamenda on April 12-14, 2002. The objective of the program is to generate community awareness and, consequently, communitywide action in order to bring about change in behavior and improvement in health standards. Accomplishments include increased sense of awareness, provision of clean drinking water to reduce the incidence of water-borne diseases, increased HIV/AIDS education to support government and international efforts, reduced incidence of infectious skin diseases, provision of sanitary facilities in public places, contribution to the fight against malaria, government involvement in water projects, and involvement of Plan International Cameroon in supplying treated bed nets to pregnant women and young children.

Country: Cameroon
City: Yaounde

Health and Social Areas Addressed:

Communicable/Infectious Diseases:
Gastrointestinal Diseases
HIV/AIDS
Malaria
Parasitic Diseases
Sexually Transmitted
Diseases (STDs/STIs)
Skin Diseases
Tuberculosis
Other Communicable Diseases
Demographic Groups:
Adolescents/Teen Health
Children's Health
Elder Health
Men's Health
Women's Health
Economic Issues:
Employment/Job
Skills/Training
Income Generation
Occupational Health/Work Safety
Resources (human, equipment, funding)
Transportation (V- Economic)
Other Economic Issues
Environmental Health:
Air Pollution
Animal/Insect/Pest Control
Waste Management
Water Supply/Quality
Other Environmental Issues
Health Care & Policy Issues:
Access to Health Facilities/Services
Aging/Elder Care
Bioethics
Children's Health/Child Care
Clinics/Clinic Administration
Curative Medicine/Surgery
Health Care Workers
Health Equality/Inequality
Health Promotion/Lifestyles
Hospitals/Hospital Administration
Injury/Trauma/Safety
Nurses (including students)
Physicians (including students)
&Other Health Care & Policy Issues
Health Promotion/Lifestyles:
Dental/Oral Health
Diet/Exercise/Fitness
Hygiene
Nutrition/Malnutrition
Obesity
Smoking
Substance Abuse
Vaccination
Vitamin Intake
Other Health Promotion/Lifestyle Issues
Mental Health:
Psychological/Psychiatric Disorders
Stress
Thought, Mood & Behavior Disorders
Other Mental Health Issues
Noncommunicable Diseases:
Allergies
Cancer
Cardiovascular Disorders
Diabetes
Endocrine Disorders
Foot Disorders/Foot Care
Gastrointestinal Disorders
Genitourinary Disorders
Musculoskeletal Disorders
Neurological Disorders
Respiratory Disorders
Skin Disorders
Other Noncommunicable Diseases
Nutrition:
Dietary Habits
Food Safety
Health Promotion/Lifestyles
Obesity
Other Nutrition Issues
Sensory Function:
Hearing
Nasal Function
Vision
Other Sensory Function Issues
Social Issues/Services:
Community Organization
Crime
Cultural Beliefs/Perceptions
Domestic Abuse/Violence
Education/Skill Building
Family Structure/Function
Interpersonal Relationships
Politics
Quality of Life Issues
Religious Beliefs/Customs
Other Social Issues
Women's Health/Reproductive Health:
Family Planning
Teenage Pregnancy
Prenatal/Postnatal Care
Other Reproductive Health Issues