Improving access to malaria services in conflict-affected populations in Cameroon

A Breaking Barriers trained community volunteer stands in a room addressing a group of community members

A recent study published in BMC Malaria Journal highlights the challenges faced by communities in accessing malaria services — including availability and cost of services — in conflict-affected regions of Cameroon. The study underscores the critical need to address these barriers, exploring potential solutions to improve demand for essential services.

The ongoing armed conflict in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon has severely disrupted access to healthcare, with 29 percent of health facilities no longer functioning. Internally displaced persons (IDPs) are particularly vulnerable, facing higher risks of contracting malaria due to poor living conditions and limited access to prevention and treatment services.

To improve access, Cameroon’s Ministry of Health implemented a Community Health Strategy, deploying community health workers to provide malaria care services. However, the study identified several barriers limiting the use of community health worker services, including poor availability of health workers in some communities, stockouts of diagnostic tests and treatments, and cost of treatment being unaffordable for many.

“The research finds that community engagement approaches involving dialogue and feedback, and co-created with community members and stakeholders, could effectively raise awareness, build trust and encourage the use of  community health worker services. However, implementing a community dialogue approach alone is not sufficient to remove all the barriers identified. Community health workers need support from their health system to create demand and ensure an essential service is provided” commented Elizabeth Berryman, Malaria Consortium’s Senior Technical Advisor and technical advisor for Breaking Barriers, a four-year operational research project that aims to improve access to malaria case management for conflict-affected populations in Cameroon.

By identifying specific challenges and proposing tailored, community-led solutions, the research provides valuable insights for policymakers and health organisations working to improve malaria control efforts in such contexts.

The Breaking Barriers project is funded by Expertise France (formerly the 5% Initiative), the French agency that designs and implements international technical cooperation projects. The project is led by Reach Out Cameroon, alongside Malaria Consortium and Konmofamba Action Sans Frontière (KASAFRO), to improve access to malaria case management for conflict-affected populations in Cameroon.

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