Occupational exposure to blood and body fluids (BBFs) has become a serious public health problem for healthcare workers (HCWs), especially in developing countries. This exposure increases the risk of contracting blood-borne infections, such as human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. The present systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to estimate the pooled prevalence of BBF exposure among HCWs in Cameroon. Relevant research reports were systematically searched and collected using online databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, and Science Direct, as well as unpublished studies from the national library. Out of 539 records, only 15 studies were included in the final analysis. The I2 tests were employed to assess the heterogeneity of the included studies. Random-effects meta-analysis model was employed to estimate the lifetime and 12-month prevalence of BBF exposure among HCWs in Cameroon. The model indicated that the estimated overall pooled prevalence of 12-month and lifetime BBF exposure among HCWs in Cameroon was 55.44% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 41.20 – 69.68, I2 = 97.5%, p<0.001) and 57.27% (95% CI: 42.43 – 72.10, I2 = 97.7%, p<0.001), respectively. The highest 12-month pooled prevalence was observed in intermediate-level health facilities (84.73%, 95% CI: 85.55 – 88.50), whereas the highest lifetime prevalence was observed in the North-West and South-West regions (77.96%, 95% CI: 57.39 – 93.19). HCWs in Cameroon face a significant risk of BBF exposure, with a high prevalence of exposure over their lifetime and within a 12-month period. This study highlights the urgent need to enhance and implement effective occupational safety and health policies to protect HCWs in Cameroon.

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.

The Cameroon Health Sector Strategy (HSS) aims to foster a healthy and productive population, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals. This retrospective study assesses progress toward the objectives of the HSS and key health indicators in the Center Region and nationally, providing a critical sub-national benchmark. In April 2023, we collected data for the period up to 2022 from the national DHIS2 database, online documents, and surveys, including the Demographic and Health Survey and the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey. Data underwent rigorous validation for completeness and accuracy before analysis. Nationally, performance was highest for antenatal antiretroviral therapy coverage (99%) and lowest for the reduction of chronic malnutrition among children under five (63% of target). The Center Region achieved the national malnutrition target (11% prevalence) but showed the lowest coverage of long-lasting insecticidal nets among children. A key infrastructural finding was the disparity in health facility density, which exceeded the national target (2.3/10,000) overall but remained below this target in the Center Region (1.4). In the Center Region, vaccination coverage for tracer antigens (Pentavalent 3, Bacille Calmette–Guérin) declined over 5 years, falling below the 95% target in 2022, although it remained above the national average. Similarly, antenatal care attendance and intermittent preventive treatment coverage remained persistently low from 2018 to 2022. While significant progress has been made in strengthening the health system, these findings highlight the need for targeted efforts to prevent malaria, improve routine immunization and antenatal care utilization, and address the underlying causes of nutritional insecurity in lagging regions. This analysis offers crucial evidence for strategic health planning and resource allocation.

Background: Occupational exposure to blood and body fluids has become a serious public health problem for healthcare workers and is a major risk for the transmission of bloodborne infections such as human immune-deficiency, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C viruses. It has been identified as one of the most serious issues affecting the health and well-being of health workers in most health systems especially in developing countries. The present systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the pooled prevalence of blood and other body fluids exposures among healthcare workers in Cameroon. Methods: Online platform including PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, and Science Direct were systematically searched to collect relevant research reports. Unpublished studies in a national library were also consulted. The I ² tests were used to assess the heterogeneity of the included studies. A fixed and random-effects meta-analysis model was used to estimate the lifetime and 12-month prevalence of occupational exposure to blood and other body fluids among healthcare workers in Cameroon. Results: Of the 539 records identified through the database search, 15 study reports were included in the final analysis. The random-effects model showed that the estimated overall pooled prevalence of 12-month and lifetime exposure to blood and other body fluids among healthcare workers in Cameroon was 55.44% (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 41.20-69.68); ( I ² =97.5%; p <0.001) and 57.27% (95% CI: 42.43-72.10); ( I ² =97.7%; p <0.001) respectively. The highest 12-month pooled prevalence was observed in intermediate level health facilities (84.73%; 95% CI: 85.55-88.50), in Regions other than the Centre (70.87%; 95% CI: 37.26-95.13) and for studies conducted from 2017 to 2023 (65.63%; 95% CI: 45.73-83.06). The lifetime prevalence of blood and other body fluids exposures was the highest for Regions namely the North-west and South-west Regions (77.96%; 95% CI: 57.39-93.19). Conclusion: Healthcare workers in Cameroon face a significant risk of occupational exposure to blood and body fluids (BBFs), with a high prevalence of exposure over their lifetime and in the past 12 months. This highlights the urgent need to enhance and implement effective occupational safety and health policies to protect healthcare workers in Cameroon.

Background: Routine childhood immunization remains a highly cost-effective public health intervention. Global immunization efforts have increased the coverage of proxy antigens in recent decades. However, annual reports indicated a progressive decline in immunization coverage in Yaounde. This study aimed to identify knowledge gaps and organizational deficiencies in the implementation of routine immunization in health facilities (HFs) in the Efoulan Health District (HD) of Yaounde. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Efoulan, an urban HD of Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon, in May 2022. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect knowledge data from consenting HCWs. An observation grid was used to assess the implementation of some relevant national EPI guidelines and recommendations. Results: A total of 46 HCWs providing vaccinations in the nine health areas of HDs were enrolled in the study. Almost all participants (93.5%) were unable to name all the diseases that the pentavalent vaccine protects against. More than half of the respondents (59%) were aware of the 15-month booster dose of the measles-rubella (MR) vaccine included in the EPI. Half of the respondents were aware of the type of antigen contained in the BCG vaccine (52%). More than two-thirds of the respondents (72%) had not identified the 6-month MR vaccine as recommended without risk for HIV+ children. Most of the respondents were not aware of the management of opened nonlyophilized vials (50%), calculation of the wastage factor (89%) or vaccine requirements (98%). Almost all the respondents (87%) had poor knowledge of vaccination norms and standards. Most of the visited HFs did not follow the monthly EPI monitoring curve (87%), did not store vaccines according to standards (80%), or had an EPI case reporting form (93%). Most of the consultants in visited HFs were not familiar with the case definitions of common vaccine- preventable diseases. Conclusions: The implementation of routine immunization remained poor in most of the HFs in Efoulan HDs because of the lack of knowledge of the EPI norms and standards of the staff. There is a need to strengthen the capacities of HCWs through ongoing training and supervision.

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.