The 2021–2025 National Strategic Plan for Community Health (NSPCH) will cost the state 46.7 billion FCFA. The strategic plan aims to fight against malaria by enhancing overall health population in all communities. As well as the long-term performance indicators of public health programs. The focus is on maternal and child health indicators. It also aims to combat priority diseases and conditions (NTDs).
Journalists in both public and private media are train on community health reporting, particularly malaria. Impact Santé Afrique, ISA, a non-governmental organization, organized the training event. The Ministry of Public Health and the Association of Scientific Journalists for the Promotion of Health, AJC Pro Santé, collaborated to organize the capacity building training. At the session, a number of eminent scientists and health professionals presented their findings.
Fight Against Malaria
The training is crucial for the preservation of life, according to Dr. Mbuh Idrisu, director of the Department for the Organization of Health Care and Health Technology, DOSTS, at the Ministry of Health, who opened the workshop. He claimed that the government’s strategy for promoting community health and combating malaria must include effective communication.
Dr. Mbuh urges the attendees to use the workshop to intensify their advocacy for the promotion of community health. He highlights that 85% of the burden of community health will be relieved. The burden will be relieved if sufficient investment is made in the field. Then, Dr. Mbuh expressed disappointment over 5% of the state budget is allocated to the health sector. This low investment, he claims, violates a number of international accords Cameroon has accepted. They include the Abudja Declaration of 2001. It stipulates that a minimum of 15% of the nation’s state budget is for health.
Joseph Boum, president of the AJC Pro Santé, stressed the importance of journalists in the fight against malaria and health advocacy. He urged his coworkers to contribute to improving the population. He further urged the government and partners to host more of these workshops. Inclusivity by inviting community media practitioners, bloggers, and journalists to participate in each of the events is important.
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