Growing up healthy

Ensuring children’s survival, protection and healthy development

The AIDS pandemic is a crisis that threatens to devastate Africa, including parts of Cameroon. The vast majority of new infections in Africa – probably 70 per cent – are occurring in the sub-Saharan part of the continent, where Cameroon is located. Unfortunately, many people here, particularly in the rural areas, don’t know how to prevent the spread of the disease.  Discussion of sexual issues is taboo and the remoteness of villages means that young people have little access to information.  Not surprisingly, therefore, only about a third of adolescents in the areas where Plan works knew about HIV/AIDS.

That was before we began HIV-prevention projects there. Last year, we distributed 2,000 booklets full of information about sexual equality and HIV/AIDS. Just eight months later, the level of knowledge is clearly improving.

This work is integrated closely with other health projects. Nzoala Theodore, a supervisor whose health staff took part in training, explained about one example:

“The health area I’m responsible for covers villages as far as 45 kilometres away. The training and provision of basic equipment to traditional birth attendants by Plan will undoubtedly reduce the number of deaths among children and mothers in remote villages.”