Cameroon: Feminization of HIV/AIDS
By Fonju Ndemesah
In Cameroon as in many parts of Africa, women and children are more vulnerable because of the lack of equity in power sharing. The sero-prevalence of Cameroon portrays a “feminisation and juvenisation” of the epidemic.
HIV surveillance among women visiting antenatal care (ANC) clinics was established in 1989. In 2000, HIV prevalence among ANC attendees in 28 sites was 10.8%. In Yaoundé the prevalence was 11.2%. The median among young women aged 15 - 24 years was 11.9%, ranging from 7.5% in the littoral Province to 19.6% in the Adamawa Province. Among women aged 15 - 19 years, the median HIV prevalence was 11.5%, ranging from 2.8% in the Littoral Province to 21.9% in Adamawa.[i] Young girls represent the hidden face of the epidemic. According to the EDSIII (Enquête démographique et de santé au Cameroun 3ème enquête) 2004, the prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS in Cameroon increases according to age, ranging from a 1. 4 % among the 15 - 19 of age to about 9% in people of the 30 - 34, before trouping to 4, 7% among those of age 45 - 49. In addition to this, women are more infected with a ratio of 170 women infected for every 100 male. The risky age group among men is 35 - 39 years while for women it decreases to 25 - 29.[ii] This figure portrays that in Cameroon the highly affected group is that of the youths. This is a great threat to the country’s development because the working group is most infected and affected.
In addition to the feminisation and Juvenal trend of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Cameroon, it is worth mentioning the fact that some sectors of the population are more infected than others. A study by the Cameroon Ministry of Health (MoH) in conjunction with the NACC revealed that Road transporters (especially truck drivers), the coastal population flanking the Chad - Cameroon Pipeline, Sex worker have a high prevalence of 16,3%, 19,8 % and 26,4% respectively. Another group showing a significant progress in the prevalence of HIV/AIDS is that of the arm forces. According to statistics from the defense sector, prevalence has regularly increased from the 3, 1% of 1990 to 14, 8% in 1996 to drop slightly to 11,2% in 2005.[iii] HIV prevalence among sex workers tested in Yaounde increased from 5.6% in 1990 to 45.3% in 1993 and declined to 34% in 1997/1998.[iv]
The great impact of the rapid spread of the epidemic has pushed the Cameroon leadership to take measure to stop the expansion of the disease. A strategic plan was put forward for the prevention and care of HIV/AID.
Sources
[i] UNAIDS/UNICEF/WHO. (2006), Epidemiological fact sheets on HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections, Cameroon.
[ii] Global Fund ( 2003) UNAIDS/UNESCO. (2001), Handbook for project design, implementation and evaluation.
[iii] UNGASS, NACC. Cameroun: Mise en oeuvre de la déclaration d’engagement sur le VIH/SIDA, Raport de Progrés N°3 UNGASS.
[iv] (UNAIDS/WHO (2006)
In Cameroon as in many parts of Africa, women and children are more vulnerable because of the lack of equity in power sharing. The sero-prevalence of Cameroon portrays a “feminisation and juvenisation” of the epidemic.
HIV surveillance among women visiting antenatal care (ANC) clinics was established in 1989. In 2000, HIV prevalence among ANC attendees in 28 sites was 10.8%. In Yaoundé the prevalence was 11.2%. The median among young women aged 15 - 24 years was 11.9%, ranging from 7.5% in the littoral Province to 19.6% in the Adamawa Province. Among women aged 15 - 19 years, the median HIV prevalence was 11.5%, ranging from 2.8% in the Littoral Province to 21.9% in Adamawa.[i] Young girls represent the hidden face of the epidemic. According to the EDSIII (Enquête démographique et de santé au Cameroun 3ème enquête) 2004, the prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS in Cameroon increases according to age, ranging from a 1. 4 % among the 15 - 19 of age to about 9% in people of the 30 - 34, before trouping to 4, 7% among those of age 45 - 49. In addition to this, women are more infected with a ratio of 170 women infected for every 100 male. The risky age group among men is 35 - 39 years while for women it decreases to 25 - 29.[ii] This figure portrays that in Cameroon the highly affected group is that of the youths. This is a great threat to the country’s development because the working group is most infected and affected.
In addition to the feminisation and Juvenal trend of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Cameroon, it is worth mentioning the fact that some sectors of the population are more infected than others. A study by the Cameroon Ministry of Health (MoH) in conjunction with the NACC revealed that Road transporters (especially truck drivers), the coastal population flanking the Chad - Cameroon Pipeline, Sex worker have a high prevalence of 16,3%, 19,8 % and 26,4% respectively. Another group showing a significant progress in the prevalence of HIV/AIDS is that of the arm forces. According to statistics from the defense sector, prevalence has regularly increased from the 3, 1% of 1990 to 14, 8% in 1996 to drop slightly to 11,2% in 2005.[iii] HIV prevalence among sex workers tested in Yaounde increased from 5.6% in 1990 to 45.3% in 1993 and declined to 34% in 1997/1998.[iv]
The great impact of the rapid spread of the epidemic has pushed the Cameroon leadership to take measure to stop the expansion of the disease. A strategic plan was put forward for the prevention and care of HIV/AID.
Sources
[i] UNAIDS/UNICEF/WHO. (2006), Epidemiological fact sheets on HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections, Cameroon.
[ii] Global Fund ( 2003) UNAIDS/UNESCO. (2001), Handbook for project design, implementation and evaluation.
[iii] UNGASS, NACC. Cameroun: Mise en oeuvre de la déclaration d’engagement sur le VIH/SIDA, Raport de Progrés N°3 UNGASS.
[iv] (UNAIDS/WHO (2006)