Vaccination is an indisputable intervention that has tremendously mitigated the global burden of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs). The number of armed conflicts globally seems to be at an all-time high, with devastating effects on vaccination coverage. This paper will examine how armed conflicts affect childhood vaccination and lead to the reemergence and spread of VPDs. Unarguably, socioeconomic factors, population demographics, the apparent long vaccination timetable, multiple vaccine doses, lack of trust in vaccination processes and the rumor of the adverse effects of some vaccines unnerve some parents and create a puzzle. By bringing under the global floodlight, the impact of armed conflicts which contextually affect vaccination coverage, this article will help strengthen the advocacy for vaccination, and call for the fortification of existing treaties on the rule of engagement during conflicts. In order to eliminate or eradicate VPDs, strategies to reach children that are left behind during conflicts is paramount.

Despite the WHO providing a framework for the integration of traditional medicines into the health systems with pandemics like HIV/AIDS and the COVID-19, most countries are yet to adopt the recommendations. This study explored why the integration of traditional medicines with the biomedical healthcare system in Qokolweni in Eastern Cape, South Africa was stalling. The research employed qualitative research methods; participant observation and in-depth ethnographic interviews of community members, traditional healers, and nurses. The study found that: traditional medicines are widely used in Qokolweni due to accessibility and long-built trust; the practice is broad and not certified. To achieve the integration of traditional medicine into the conventional health systems, the central government needs to show political will by setting up regulatory strategies that provide for the scientific evaluation and certification of traditional medicines. This will build confidence among biomedical scientists and health practitioners, thereby fostering easy collaboration and integration.

Abortion is a common but controversial phenomenon globally. The discourse on the legality of abortion remains intricate, leaving a substantial number of women restricted from accessing safe abortion. There are evidence of an association between restrictive abortion laws, unsafe abortions, and maternal mortality in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). We explore how restrictive abortion laws violate women’s right to health and bodily integrity. We used Carol Bacchi’s policy framework to analyze how restrictive abortion laws have been discursively framed (problematization); the assumptions that underpinned the representation; the consequences of the representation; what was left unproblematic; how the representation could be questioned, disrupted and replaced. We found that most of these laws are based on morality and the limited number of women in politics has made them objects rather than subjects in decision-making process. Therefore, we recommend a holistic approach to abortion laws with women leading the process to achieve reproductive justice.

Herbal plants have played an important role traditional medicine therapy of multiple human illnesses since the existence of man in many parts of the globe .The most common eye diseases include conjunctivitis, cataract, glaucoma, eye allergies, eye inflammation. The problem of adverse drug effects of modern drugs, has led to the increased use nowadays of herbal remedies in the treatment of eye diseases. The World Health Organization (WHO), defines traditional medicine as, the knowledge, skills and practices based on theories, beliefs, and experiences indigenous to diverse cultures, be it explicable or not that are used in the maintenance of health and the prevention, diagnosis, improvement and the treatment of physical and mental diseases. In the last decade, the use of traditional medicine has gained popularity and has expanded globally. While traditional medicine is used in developing countries for primary health care, it is also being used in developed countries with advanced health care systems. Traditional medicine accounts for up to 60% of health care delivered in Cameroon, while in other African countries traditional medicine is being relied on as a result of cultural and historical beliefs and up to 80 % of the population in Africa use traditional medicine to meet their health care needs. Although, traditional medicine is widely used, issues around policy; safety; efficacy and quality control are still of prime public health concern. Traditional eye care practices are believed to be indigenous medicines used by community members for the treatment of eye diseases or ocular problems. This is the most applied form of eye treatment in Africa and other parts of Asia and Latin America. Eye care is a public health concern in Cameroon due to late diagnosis of eye pathology and limited access to medication and affordability of prescription eye glasses. This paper attempts to review the herbal medicine practice as an alternative approach to eye treatment using traditional healing, and the development of eye health promotion strategies in the primary health care system in Cameroon.

Objectives: This review aimed to synthesise evidence on (1) the prevalence of common mental health disorders (MHDs) in Cameroon; (2) the effectiveness of mental health management interventions; (3) the risk factors for common MHDs in Cameroon and (4) map the state of research on common mental disorders in Cameroon. Design: A systematic review. Data sources: We performed a comprehensive search for articles in major public health databases including PubMed, Scopus, Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL from inception of each database to June 2022. Eligibility criteria: Published articles on the prevalence, risk factors or intervention for management of common MHDs in Cameroon met the inclusion criteria for this systematic review. Data extraction and synthesis: The abstract and full-text screening, and data extraction were performed independently by at least two researchers. The results have been reported based on a narrative synthesis. Results: After the screening stages, 32 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in this study. A high prevalence of common MHDs among different groups, including teenage mothers, students and people living with HIV, was observed. We identified important risk factors for these conditions in the general population and among high-risk groups. We also identified two interventions which show promising results for the management of depression among individuals with HIV in Cameroon. Conclusion: Our review recorded a high prevalence of common MHDs and identified important risk factors for MHDs among different groups. Increased priority and participatory action with all stakeholders including individuals, communities/policy holders and in research where a huge gap remains to be filled, is crucial in reducing the burden of MHDs in Cameroon. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022348427.

In most countries, sex-work is criminalized and frowned upon. This leads to human rights abuses, especially for migrant female sex workers. The burden is heavier on migrant female sex-workers whose gender and foreign citizenship intersect to produce a plethora of adverse health, social, and legal outcomes. This phenomenological study explores the intersectionality of individual factors leading to human rights abuses among migrant Cameroonian female sex workers in N’Djamena, Chad. Ten female sex workers and two key-informants were interviewed, and being a small sample, they gave detailed information about their experiences. The data was later analyzed using thematic analysis. Participants narrated experiences of social exclusion, exposure to diverse abuses, and health risks due to gender, immigrant status, and illegality of sex work. The experiences of female migrant sex workers, within contexts of sex work criminalization, are exacerbated by the intersectionality of these factors. Women endure several vulnerabilities in many African countries, more so when they have to survive on sex work as foreigners in a country where the act is illegal.