PSI

PSI/Cameroon (ACMS) is an affiliate and platform of Population Services International, with programs in malaria, reproductive health, child survival, safe water, diarrhea, and HIV prevention and treatment. PSI/Cameroon promotes health products, services and healthy behaviors that enable low-income and vulnerable people to lead healthier lives. Products and services are sold at subsidized prices rather than given away in order to motivate the involvement of the private commercial sector.

PSI/Cameroon was founded in 1996 to improve reproductive health, focusing especially on HIV prevention programs. In 2004, ACMS added a malaria program which distributed treated “Super moustiquaire” and “Bloc” nets. In 2006, ACMS extended its product portfolio by integrating the safe water program with Sûr’Eau/Water Guard. In 2007, long-lasting treated insecticide nets (LLINs) branded Permanet were introduced, followed by the launching of the impregnation kit KO-TAB 123, one year later on. In 2009, Permanet products were replaced by Interceptor nets. During the same year, ACMS scaled up the social marketing of female condoms branded Protectiv’. A new oral rehydration salt called Orasel, which includes a zinc treatment, was recently introduced to target the Expanded Impact Project (EIP) health areas.

Health Areas

Child Survival, Diarrheal Disease, HIV, Malaria, Reproductive Health

Health Impact

PSI/Cameroon estimates that in 2010, its products and services helped avert:

• 38,536 HIV & TB DALYs1
• 39,029 Reproductive Health DALYs
• 88,443 Malaria Control DALYs
• 1,821 Child Survival DALYs
1. 1. Source: The DALY (Disability-Adjusted Life Year) is a widely-used, credible metric that was first developed by the World Bank and is now routinely relied upon in the public health community.

Health Interventions

• Family Planning/HIV Integration
• Male Condom
• Female Condom
• Intrauterine Device (IUD)

Improving Health in Cameroon

Malaria

ACMS extended the malaria program « Projet de Subvention ciblée de la moustiquaire imprégnée d’insecticide » to include women of child bearing age in 2007. In partnership with the Exxon Mobil Foundation, 48,800 long-lasting insecticidal mosquito nets (LLINs) were distributed to women free of charge. At the end of the project, the results showed 87% of beneficiaries sleeping effectively under nets. In 2008, in partnership with World Swim against Malaria and working jointly with the National Committee against Malaria, ACMS distributed 10,000 LLINs to children under five in the Bafut health area (North West region). Project monitoring results revealed that up to 80% of beneficiaries were sleeping under their net.

Reproductive Health

Since 2000, ACMS has published a magazine named “100% Jeune Le Journal” focusing on youth aged 15 to 24. The magazine provides useful advice through reproductive health thematics that are developed and edited monthly. Some of those themes include the prevention of unwanted pregnancies, relationships between men and women, and discussing sex with parents. In 2002, the English version of the magazine was introduced for the English speaking youth groups.
Additionally, there is a weekly production of interactive radio programs in five cities (Yaoundé, Douala, Maroua, Garoua and Bamenda), focusing on similar themes. The programs also have an interactive website, www.reglo.org.

Child Survival Expanded Impact is jointly implemented by ACMS, Plan Cameroon and Helen Keller International. It aims to promote the Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI) and covers 24 health centers of ACMS’ ProFam network. In 2009, a training workshop about long-term contraceptive methods, focusing on DIU and Jadelle, was organized for the ProFam Network contractors.

Diarrheal Diseases

ACMS is educating Cameroonians about the causes of diarrhea and waterborne diseases. This includes the promotion of the oral rehydration salt (ORS) in the EIP health areas. A recently introduced diarrhea treatment kit, Orasel with Zinc, is recommended by WHO and UNICEF as part of a treatment regimen for children under the age of five.

Safe Water/Child Survival

ACMS promotes clean water solution through the distribution of the sodium hypochlorite solution Sûr’Eau/WaterGuard for the treatment of drinking water. This clean water solution was introduced in 2006 in two cities (Yaounde and Douala) and later extended in 2007 to all provinces across the country.

HIV

ACMS is being developing social marketing strategies for the reduction of the transmission of HIV/AIDS and STIs among its main targets. The HIV/AIDS Prevention project in Central Africa (PPSAC), aims at making both male and female condoms accessible and available, improving behaviors and practices relating to the fight against AIDS, and fighting stigmatization and discrimination against the affected population.

Since January 2009, ACMS has re- energized the promotion of female condoms through the Universal Access to Female Condom (UAFC) Joint Programme. The UAFC Joint Programme aims to improve the accessibility and availability of female condoms as a family planning method and as part of HIV prevention.

In 2008, ACMS distributed more than 28 million Prudence Plus condoms and close to 150,000 female condoms. As part of their HIV prevention goal, ACMS also organized more than 800 educational workshops and 7,829 HIV/AIDS tests which reached about 43,825 people.

Since 2008, ACMS has been working with the Cameroonian Ministry of Defense to promote health behaviors and the reduction of HIV/AIDS among the military.

Target Populations

High-risk, low-income populations both rural and urban, truckers and their partners, women, youth, adults having sex with youth, medical providers, mothers with young children.

Latest News

• Event: Working Toward Reducing Maternal Mortality and Increasing Access to Reproductive Health
  October 29, 2010