Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background: With an armed conflict prevailing in the Northwest and Southwest regions since 2016, Cameroon faces significant challenges of limited medical attention and insufficient availability of health services. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the overall vulnerability to disease is therefore increased. The WHO has emphasized several measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, such as hand washing with soap and water. However, the dissemination and quality of health information within Africa has historically been ineffective. Such information is not easily accessible and recommended health measures are not always implemented. In efforts to promote the dissemination of health information and recommended health guidelines for COVID-19 in Cameroon, we implemented a community-based health initiative surrounding hand washing. Methods: We simultaneously distributed soap and disseminated public health guidelines on COVID-19 to various neighborhoods in Cameroon, within the cities of Bamenda and Yaoundé. Dissemination of information within each neighborhood was coordinated with assistance of community leaders. COVID-19 information was shared in many forms including verbal communication and physical demonstrations of how to properly wash hands. Results: Between March 2020 and August 2020, 13 soap distributions were carried out in five neighborhoods. Overall, we reached an estimate of 1247 households, 5300 people and delivered approximately 3390 units of soap throughout the distributions. A lack of awareness on COVID-19 precautions was observed within the communities visited. In addition, many people lacked access to soap, making it difficult to follow public health guidelines to practice hand washing. Conclusion: Our work supports previous studies that highlight the importance of community leaders in community-based initiatives and provides new insights in light of the current pandemic.
Keywords
Article Details
References
- Amnesty International. Cameroon: Horrific violence escalates further in Anglophone regions [Internet]. 2018. Available from: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/09/cameroon-horrific-violence-escalates-further-in-anglophone-regions/
- OCHA. Cameroon: North-West and South-West - Situation Report No. 20, As of 30 June 2020 [Internet]. 2020 Jul [cited 2020 Sep 15]. Available from: https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/sites/www.humanitarianresponse.info/files/documents/files/sitrep_june_2020_20jul_final_version_v2.pdf
- OCHA. Emergency Response Plan - Cameroon North-West and South-West - Summary (May 2018) [Internet]. Available from: https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/cmr_nw_sw_fa_2018-05_summary_v07_light_0.pdf
- FRANCE 24. Hospital on front line of Cameroon anglophone conflict [Internet]. 2018 May. Available from: https://www.france24.com/en/20181005-hospital-front-line-cameroon-anglophone-conflict
- Human Rights Watch. Cameroon: People With Disabilities Caught in Crisis [Internet]. 2019 May. Available from: https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/08/05/cameroon-people-disabilities-caught-crisis
- Kindzeka M. Cameroon Doctors Overwhelmed with Patients [Internet]. VOA; 2018 Nov. Available from: https://www.voanews.com/africa/cameroon-doctors-overwhelmed-patients
- Kindzeka ME. COVID-19 Cases Top 1,000 in Crisis-Prone Cameroon. 2020 Apr 18; Available from: https://www.voanews.com/covid-19-pandemic/covid-19-cases-top-1000-crisis-prone-cameroon
- Africa CDC. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Available from: https://africacdc.org/covid-19/
- Anasi SNI. Access to and Dissemination of Health Information in Africa: The Patient and the Public. J Hosp Librariansh [Internet]. 2012 Apr [cited 2020 Aug 20];12(2):120–34. Available from: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15323269.2012.666647
- Edwards A, Zweigenthal V, Olivier J. Evidence map of knowledge translation strategies, outcomes, facilitators and barriers in African health systems. Health Res Policy Syst [Internet]. 2019 Dec [cited 2020 Sep 17];17(1):16. Available from: https://health-policy-systems.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12961-019-0419-0
- Edejer TT-T. Disseminating health information in developing countries: the role of the internet. BMJ [Internet]. 2000 Sep 30 [cited 2020 Sep 17];321(7264):797–800. Available from: http://www.bmj.com/cgi/doi/10.1136/bmj.321.7264.797
- Freeman MC, Stocks ME, Cumming O, Jeandron A, Higgins JPT, Wolf J, et al. Systematic review: Hygiene and health: systematic review of handwashing practices worldwide and update of health effects. Trop Med Int Health [Internet]. 2014 Aug [cited 2020 Jul 18];19(8):906–16. Available from: http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/tmi.12339
- REACH Initative. Cameroon: Water, sanitation and hygiene needs assessment (December 2018) - Cameroon [Internet]. Available from: https://reliefweb.int/report/cameroon/cameroon-water-sanitation-and-hygiene-needs-assessment-december-2018
- Bhutta ZA, Salam RA, Das JK, Lassi ZS. Tackling the existing burden of infectious diseases in the developing world: existing gaps and the way forward. Infect Dis Poverty [Internet]. 2014 Aug [cited 2020 Jul 28];3(1):28. Available from: https://idpjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/2049-9957-3-28
- Salam RA, Das JK, Lassi ZS, Bhutta ZA. Impact of community-based interventions for the prevention and control of malaria on intervention coverage and health outcomes for the prevention and control of malaria. Infect Dis Poverty [Internet]. 2014 [cited 2020 Jul 28];3(1):25. Available from: http://idpjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/2049-9957-3-25
- Merzel C, D’Afflitti J. Reconsidering Community-Based Health Promotion: Promise, Performance, and Potential. Am J Public Health [Internet]. 2003 Apr [cited 2020 Jul 18];93(4):557–74. Available from: http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/10.2105/AJPH.93.4.557
- Blackburn H. Research and Demonstration Projects in Community Cardiovascular Disease Prevention. J Public Health Policy [Internet]. 1983 Dec [cited 2020 Jul 18];4(4):398. Available from: https://www.jstor.org/stable/3342219?origin=crossref
- Goodman RM, Wheeler FC, Lee PR. Evaluation of the Heart to Heart Project: Lessons from a Community-Based Chronic Disease Prevention Project. Am J Health Promot [Internet]. 1995 Jul [cited 2020 Jul 28];9(6):443–55. Available from: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.4278/0890-1171-9.6.443
- Sikkema K. Outcomes of a randomized community-level HIV prevention intervention for women living in 18 low-income housing developments. Am J Public Health [Internet]. 2000 Jan [cited 2020 Jul 28];90(1):57–63. Available from: http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/10.2105/AJPH.90.1.57
- The CDC AIDS Community Demonstration Projects Research Group. Community-level HIV intervention in 5 cities: final outcome data from the CDC AIDS Community Demonstration Projects. Am J Public Health [Internet]. 1999 Mar [cited 2020 Jul 28];89(3):336–45. Available from: http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/10.2105/AJPH.89.3.336
- Atkinson J-AM, Fitzgerald L, Toaliu H, Taleo G, Tynan A, Whittaker M, et al. Community participation for malaria elimination in Tafea Province, Vanuatu: Part I. Maintaining motivation for prevention practices in the context of disappearing disease. 2010;16.
- Haslam SA, Platow MJ. The Link between Leadership and Followership: How Affirming Social Identity Translates Vision into Action. Pers Soc Psychol Bull [Internet]. 2001 Nov 1 [cited 2020 Sep 2];27(11):1469–79. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672012711008
- Steffens NK, Haslam SA. Power through ‘Us’: Leaders’ Use of We-Referencing Language Predicts Election Victory. PLOS ONE [Internet]. 2013 Oct 23;8(10):e77952. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0077952
- Soto-Mota P, Macchia L, Gómez M. Building Trust to Face the COVID-19 Pandemic in Developing Countries. 2020 Aug 31; Available from: https://behavioralscientist.org/building-trust-to-face-the-covid-19-pandemic-in-developing-countries/
- Lekunze M. African security, complex adaptive systems and resilience. In 2019. p. 23–47.
- World Health Organization. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public. Available from: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public
- Hien LTT, Takano T, Seino K, Ohnishi M, Nakamura K. Effectiveness of a capacity-building program for community leaders in a healthy living environment: a randomized community-based intervention in rural Vietnam. Health Promot Int [Internet]. 2008 Aug 28 [cited 2020 Sep 2];23(4):354–64. Available from: https://academic.oup.com/heapro/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/heapro/dan035
- Meh BIN J, Ofeh MA, Che SB. Impact of the Corona Pandemic on Household Welfare in Cameroon. J Econ Manag Sci [Internet]. 2020 Sep 4 [cited 2020 Sep 14];3(3):p25. Available from: https://j.ideasspread.org/index.php/jems/article/view/680
- Green LW, Kreuter MW. Health promotion planning : an educational and ecological approach. Mountain View, California: Mayfield Publishing Company; 1999.
- Lock K. Health Impact Assessment. Br Med J. 2000;320(7246):1395–8.
- Letts L, Law M, Pollock N, Stewart D, Westmorland M, Philpot A, et al. A Programme Evaluation Workbook for Occupational Therapists : an Evidence-Based Practice Tool. Ottawa: CAOT; 1999.
References
Amnesty International. Cameroon: Horrific violence escalates further in Anglophone regions [Internet]. 2018. Available from: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/09/cameroon-horrific-violence-escalates-further-in-anglophone-regions/
OCHA. Cameroon: North-West and South-West - Situation Report No. 20, As of 30 June 2020 [Internet]. 2020 Jul [cited 2020 Sep 15]. Available from: https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/sites/www.humanitarianresponse.info/files/documents/files/sitrep_june_2020_20jul_final_version_v2.pdf
OCHA. Emergency Response Plan - Cameroon North-West and South-West - Summary (May 2018) [Internet]. Available from: https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/cmr_nw_sw_fa_2018-05_summary_v07_light_0.pdf
FRANCE 24. Hospital on front line of Cameroon anglophone conflict [Internet]. 2018 May. Available from: https://www.france24.com/en/20181005-hospital-front-line-cameroon-anglophone-conflict
Human Rights Watch. Cameroon: People With Disabilities Caught in Crisis [Internet]. 2019 May. Available from: https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/08/05/cameroon-people-disabilities-caught-crisis
Kindzeka M. Cameroon Doctors Overwhelmed with Patients [Internet]. VOA; 2018 Nov. Available from: https://www.voanews.com/africa/cameroon-doctors-overwhelmed-patients
Kindzeka ME. COVID-19 Cases Top 1,000 in Crisis-Prone Cameroon. 2020 Apr 18; Available from: https://www.voanews.com/covid-19-pandemic/covid-19-cases-top-1000-crisis-prone-cameroon
Africa CDC. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Available from: https://africacdc.org/covid-19/
Anasi SNI. Access to and Dissemination of Health Information in Africa: The Patient and the Public. J Hosp Librariansh [Internet]. 2012 Apr [cited 2020 Aug 20];12(2):120–34. Available from: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15323269.2012.666647
Edwards A, Zweigenthal V, Olivier J. Evidence map of knowledge translation strategies, outcomes, facilitators and barriers in African health systems. Health Res Policy Syst [Internet]. 2019 Dec [cited 2020 Sep 17];17(1):16. Available from: https://health-policy-systems.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12961-019-0419-0
Edejer TT-T. Disseminating health information in developing countries: the role of the internet. BMJ [Internet]. 2000 Sep 30 [cited 2020 Sep 17];321(7264):797–800. Available from: http://www.bmj.com/cgi/doi/10.1136/bmj.321.7264.797
Freeman MC, Stocks ME, Cumming O, Jeandron A, Higgins JPT, Wolf J, et al. Systematic review: Hygiene and health: systematic review of handwashing practices worldwide and update of health effects. Trop Med Int Health [Internet]. 2014 Aug [cited 2020 Jul 18];19(8):906–16. Available from: http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/tmi.12339
REACH Initative. Cameroon: Water, sanitation and hygiene needs assessment (December 2018) - Cameroon [Internet]. Available from: https://reliefweb.int/report/cameroon/cameroon-water-sanitation-and-hygiene-needs-assessment-december-2018
Bhutta ZA, Salam RA, Das JK, Lassi ZS. Tackling the existing burden of infectious diseases in the developing world: existing gaps and the way forward. Infect Dis Poverty [Internet]. 2014 Aug [cited 2020 Jul 28];3(1):28. Available from: https://idpjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/2049-9957-3-28
Salam RA, Das JK, Lassi ZS, Bhutta ZA. Impact of community-based interventions for the prevention and control of malaria on intervention coverage and health outcomes for the prevention and control of malaria. Infect Dis Poverty [Internet]. 2014 [cited 2020 Jul 28];3(1):25. Available from: http://idpjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/2049-9957-3-25
Merzel C, D’Afflitti J. Reconsidering Community-Based Health Promotion: Promise, Performance, and Potential. Am J Public Health [Internet]. 2003 Apr [cited 2020 Jul 18];93(4):557–74. Available from: http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/10.2105/AJPH.93.4.557
Blackburn H. Research and Demonstration Projects in Community Cardiovascular Disease Prevention. J Public Health Policy [Internet]. 1983 Dec [cited 2020 Jul 18];4(4):398. Available from: https://www.jstor.org/stable/3342219?origin=crossref
Goodman RM, Wheeler FC, Lee PR. Evaluation of the Heart to Heart Project: Lessons from a Community-Based Chronic Disease Prevention Project. Am J Health Promot [Internet]. 1995 Jul [cited 2020 Jul 28];9(6):443–55. Available from: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.4278/0890-1171-9.6.443
Sikkema K. Outcomes of a randomized community-level HIV prevention intervention for women living in 18 low-income housing developments. Am J Public Health [Internet]. 2000 Jan [cited 2020 Jul 28];90(1):57–63. Available from: http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/10.2105/AJPH.90.1.57
The CDC AIDS Community Demonstration Projects Research Group. Community-level HIV intervention in 5 cities: final outcome data from the CDC AIDS Community Demonstration Projects. Am J Public Health [Internet]. 1999 Mar [cited 2020 Jul 28];89(3):336–45. Available from: http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/10.2105/AJPH.89.3.336
Atkinson J-AM, Fitzgerald L, Toaliu H, Taleo G, Tynan A, Whittaker M, et al. Community participation for malaria elimination in Tafea Province, Vanuatu: Part I. Maintaining motivation for prevention practices in the context of disappearing disease. 2010;16.
Haslam SA, Platow MJ. The Link between Leadership and Followership: How Affirming Social Identity Translates Vision into Action. Pers Soc Psychol Bull [Internet]. 2001 Nov 1 [cited 2020 Sep 2];27(11):1469–79. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672012711008
Steffens NK, Haslam SA. Power through ‘Us’: Leaders’ Use of We-Referencing Language Predicts Election Victory. PLOS ONE [Internet]. 2013 Oct 23;8(10):e77952. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0077952
Soto-Mota P, Macchia L, Gómez M. Building Trust to Face the COVID-19 Pandemic in Developing Countries. 2020 Aug 31; Available from: https://behavioralscientist.org/building-trust-to-face-the-covid-19-pandemic-in-developing-countries/
Lekunze M. African security, complex adaptive systems and resilience. In 2019. p. 23–47.
World Health Organization. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public. Available from: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public
Hien LTT, Takano T, Seino K, Ohnishi M, Nakamura K. Effectiveness of a capacity-building program for community leaders in a healthy living environment: a randomized community-based intervention in rural Vietnam. Health Promot Int [Internet]. 2008 Aug 28 [cited 2020 Sep 2];23(4):354–64. Available from: https://academic.oup.com/heapro/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/heapro/dan035
Meh BIN J, Ofeh MA, Che SB. Impact of the Corona Pandemic on Household Welfare in Cameroon. J Econ Manag Sci [Internet]. 2020 Sep 4 [cited 2020 Sep 14];3(3):p25. Available from: https://j.ideasspread.org/index.php/jems/article/view/680
Green LW, Kreuter MW. Health promotion planning : an educational and ecological approach. Mountain View, California: Mayfield Publishing Company; 1999.
Lock K. Health Impact Assessment. Br Med J. 2000;320(7246):1395–8.
Letts L, Law M, Pollock N, Stewart D, Westmorland M, Philpot A, et al. A Programme Evaluation Workbook for Occupational Therapists : an Evidence-Based Practice Tool. Ottawa: CAOT; 1999.