Lutte contre la pandémie a VIH/sida par les organisations de la société civile dans la ville de Bafoussam

Abstract

In Cameroon, the city of Bafoussam is one of the most heavily affected areas by HIV/AIDS, given that it is not only a crossroads town but also the economic development hub of a vast agricultural region. Like all pandemics, HIV has been fought hard in the city. As part of this study leading to a master's degree in geography, we set out to find out what contribution civil society organizations are making to the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Bafoussam, in addition to government actions. Surveys carried out among the population, people living with HIV/AIDS and in HIV/AIDS screening and care centers show that between 2018 and 2022, 1,857 people will be affected by the disease, representing a prevalence rate of 1.6% compared with 7.6% in 2007; 62% of these sufferers are between the ages of 10 and 24. A number of players are fighting against the spread of this disease, including civil society organizations. In the field, they organize information sessions on the promotion of positive living with AIDS, voluntary HIV/AIDS screening campaigns, empowerment of women through training in small trades, condom promotion and care for sufferers. This action by civil society organizations is hampered by the population's low level of awareness of them, networking between them still at an embryonic stage, and the strengthening of their partnership with the Ministry of Health. Hence, the need to reinforce the effectiveness of these civil society organizations by participating in staff training and developing new strategies for the fight against HIV/AIDS.