Six months following the national launch of COVID-19 vaccinations in Cameroon, only 1.1% of the target population was fully vaccinated, with women representing less than one-third of the vaccinated population regardless of age, profession, or comorbidities. Hence, the aim of this study was to understand the low COVID-19 vaccination rate of women in order to enhance vaccine uptake. A cross-sectional study was conducted between July and October 2021 through an online survey. Additionally, a retrospective analysis of the Cameroon Ministry of Public Health (MINSANTE) database of the pandemic (COVID-19) for the period of March 2020 to October 2021 was simultaneously carried out. Our sample consisted of 249 responders aged between 18 and 50 years enrolled in the 10 regions of Cameroon, with 142 (57%) who were female. We assessed factors related to having been vaccinated against COVID-19 and predictors of COVID-19 vaccination among non-vaccinated people. Concerning COVID-19 vaccination, 39.2% were not vaccinated. Non-vaccination was statistically associated with being female, being a healthcare worker, fear of adverse effects, and not believing in the vaccine. In the qualitative analysis, women identified themselves as being anti-COVID-19-vaccine for several reasons, including doubts about the quality or safety of the vaccine; the perception that COVID-19 vaccines are presented as being an obligation; and regarding the multitude of vaccines on the market, the belief that there are “more local” effective alternatives to the vaccine. The implementation of the gender approach to COVID-19 vaccination is one factor influencing its effectiveness and sustainability.

Background The use of psychoactive substances is a major global public health problem. People aged 15-24 years are more likely to abuse psychoactive substances than the general population. Substances use among youth, especially students in higher education is increasing rapidly worldwide. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of substances use among university students and to describe their behavioral profiles. Methods An institutional-based descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted from September to October 2023 at the Yaoundé 1 University in Cameroon. A convenience non probabilistic sampling method were used to recruit consenting students. The data collectors were medical students who were trained for 2 days and given appropriate instructions before the survey. The data collected were reviewed and checked for completeness before being entered. All data were coded and entered into Microsoft Excel 2016. Descriptive statistics were performed using R Statistics 4.3.1. Qualitative data were collected from all participants through interviews. Results A total of 191 university students were enrolled in the study. The median age was 20 years. They were predominantly male (66.5%) and aged between 20-25. The prevalence of substance use was 66% for alcohol consumption, 33.5% for smoking habits and 26.7% for drug use. The main motivations for substance use were companionship, thrill-seeking and curiosity. More than a third of students were polysubstance users (35.1%). Most participants were aware of the academic consequence (85.9%) and almost all (93.7%) acknowledged the physical and psycho-social consequences of substance use. Conclusion There is a high rate of psychoactive substance use among university students. Therefore, effective campus-based counseling, peer education, and national surveillance systems that can monitor risky behaviors among university students should be implemented.

Background: Women and girls around the world face significant barriers in participating in health care decisions, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Despite growing interest in shared decision-making (SDM), little is known about its implementation in these countries, and no rigorous assessment of the decision-making needs of women and girls in these contexts has been conducted. There is little SDM training and there are few decision-support tools (DSTs) specifically designed for health care decision-making by women and girls in these countries. DSTs (paper or digital) present options and probabilities and help users articulate their values and preferences. Objective: We aim to codevelop an SDM resource platform, including locally relevant DSTs and instructional materials, to support SDM with women and girls in Brazil, Cameroon, and Senegal. Methods: We will conduct a 4-phase participatory research project. We will use the Gender-Based Analysis Plus tool to support inclusive participatory research throughout the study. First, we will follow the Integrated Knowledge Translation framework to form a local steering committee in each country, including patients and community representatives, health and social service professionals, and decision-makers. Second, we will follow the Ottawa Decision Support Framework to conduct individual interviews and focus groups to identify the decision-making needs of women and girls. We will include 20 women and girls, along with their family members, 15 health and social service professionals, and 15 representatives of community-based organizations in each country (n=150). The Double Diamond human-centered design framework will be used to codevelop a digital SDM resource platform where DSTs and instructional materials for SDM training can be made accessible. Finally, we will assess the scalability of the platform by using the Innovation Scalability Self-Administered Questionnaire. We will report our study by using the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research guideline and the Guidance for Reporting Involvement of Patients and the Public. Results: Financial support for this project was received on February 1, 2023. This protocol was submitted during data collection but before analysis. Data collection began in January 2025. By July 2025, 92 of the 150 participants had been recruited. We expect to publish our results in December 2026. Conclusions: Ultimately, more women and girls from low- and middle-income countries will be involved in health care decisions, and more clinical teams will be able to integrate SDM into their care practices. The local steering committees will ensure equitable partnerships and the SDM resource platform will promote more inclusive approaches to SDM worldwide. The scalability assessment will help us plan to expand the impact of the platform to other regions. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/78618

Objective This study aimed at evaluating the performance of the EPI so as to determine whether the program is set to achieve the vaccine specific targets of some SDGs by 2030. Methods We carried out a mixed method study associating a cross-sectional web-based qualitative analysis during March 2021 and a quantitative analysis of EPI performance from 2006 to 2019 in Cameroon. Findings: The observed weaknesses included the failure to meet the targeted vaccination coverage of all antigens, the proportion of health districts with coverage greater than 80% remained low, the existence of districts with less than 50% vaccination coverage, and insufficient quality of vaccination data. The Country lagged in geographical equity, program management, and financing. In addition, situations that emerged during the past decade, such as the covid-19, conflicts, political instability, and widespread misinformation, negatively impact the output of vaccination services. Conclusion Cameroon needs to amplify efforts to fill gaps and weaknesses so as not to be left behind to attain the targets for this current decade embedded in sustainable development goals.

Background Hospital waste management is an important process that must be handled with care. This is because of the potential risks it represents for human health and the environment. A good understanding of the processes and legislation involved is an important asset, especially in developing countries. In order to assess the level of application of regulations, this study describes the quality of hospital waste management in health districts outside Yaounde in the Centre region. Methodology A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in public health facilities of 24 Health Districts in the Centre Region from February 1 to March 31, 2024. Sampling was consecutive and non-exhaustive. Data were collected using a Google form from health facility managers and/or staff in charge of hospital hygiene. The data was coded and analyzed using R Statistics version 4.3.1. Results A total of 61 participants coming from 20 Health Districts of the Central Region were enrolled in the study. With a sex ratio (M/F) of 0.9, most of the participants were paramedical staff. Less than 10% of the participants were Medical-sanitary technician. Most of the respondents reported that waste was sorted at source. However, nearly half (45%) carried out regular checks at this stage. More than two-thirds of responded (78%) reported that household waste was packed in buckets and black bags. More than half of the infectious waste was packaged in bin buckets (57%). More than one-third (39%) of the waste was collected daily. The vast majority (93%) reported that they disposed of waste on site. Nearly 5% reported disposing of waste in a public landfill. A small proportion (7.3%) of health facilities had an incinerator. Conclusion Despite the efforts made, there are still significant shortcomings in the hospital waste management strategy of the health facilities visited. Stakeholders need technical, financial and material support if they are to meet international standards.

Background: HIV infection persists at very high levels compared to other parts of the world. It devastates youth and thus jeopardizes the development of countries. This indicates that the success of numerous interventions aimed at changing the sexual behaviors of adolescents and young people could be questioned. These interventions often focus on the individual, and less on the social and cultural environments in which young people’s understanding of sexuality is formed. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to obtain updated baseline data allowing for a better understanding of the HIV epidemic and its determinants and prevention, as well as the evolution of student behaviors following implemented interventions. Methods: To this end, a descriptive, cross-sectional study with an evaluative aim was conducted among students on the campuses of the University of Yaoundé I, the Catholic University of Central Africa, and the Siantou Higher Institute, from May to July 2024. Inclusion criteria were: students aged 18 to 30 years inclusive, regularly enrolled in the aforementioned universities and institutes. We used consecutive recruitment and obtained a total sample size of 1200 students. The collected data were entered and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 26 software. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant, and confidence intervals were estimated at a 95% confidence level. Results: A total of 1200 students were surveyed during this study, including 572 men and 628 women. The age group under 20 years represented 49.0% of the sample, 21-24 years 40%, and 25 years and older 11%. Regarding the level of education, 98% of students were enrolled in undergraduate programs, and 2% were in postgraduate programs. The majority of students, 99%, resided off-campus, with 75% living with family and 26% living outside the family home with friends or in student housing. Concerning socio-financial characteristics, 92% of students had their parents as their main material/financial support. Among these students, 65% found this material support to be regular, and 48% found it insufficient. Finally, 26% of students reported having a part-time job to support their educational needs. Slightly more than half of the students, 69%, reported having consumed alcohol in the past 12 months, with 27% consuming alcohol several times a month. A little over half, 57%, reported never having consumed alcohol, and 18% consumed alcohol once a month. The majority of students, 85%, reported respectively never having consumed alcohol in a way that prevented them from fulfilling academic obligations or being unable to remember what happened. Conclusion: It appears necessary to redefine the objectives and reformulate prevention programs by strengthening the implemented strategies that have proven effective; however, this should be done with an emphasis on condom use.