Cameroon’s Youth Leaders Strengthen National Commitment Against Malaria Through Strategic Capacity-Building Initiative

In a strong demonstration of youth leadership and intersectoral collaboration for public health, the Ministry of Public Health, in partnership with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Civic Education and the NGO Impact Santé Afrique (ISA), organized a high-level Training of Trainers workshop on malaria prevention and control on May 8, 2026, at the headquarters of the Cameroon National Youth Council (CNYC) in Bastos, Yaoundé.

The strategic capacity-building session brought together members of the CNYC, representatives of CONEP, community mediators, youth parliamentarians, and youth leaders from various organizations and movements across Cameroon. The initiative forms part of ongoing national efforts to intensify community awareness, strengthen youth participation in public health interventions, and accelerate the fight against malaria one of the country’s most pressing public health challenges.

Throughout the workshop, participants benefited from technical presentations and practical guidance delivered by experts from the National Malaria Control Programme (PNLP) and Impact Santé Afrique. Discussions focused on malaria prevention methods, early diagnosis, effective treatment, community sensitization techniques, and the dangers associated with self-medication.

Special emphasis was placed on the importance of early medical consultation, environmental sanitation, and the proper use of long-lasting insecticide-treated mosquito nets. Participants were also educated on preventive measures for vulnerable populations, particularly the importance of Intermittent Preventive Treatment for pregnant women.

The workshop further highlighted the central role young people can play in advancing behavioral change and community mobilization. With the extensive reach of youth organizations across the national territory, youth leaders were encouraged to become active ambassadors for malaria prevention within their communities.

This engagement is reinforced by the official Declaration of Commitment signed by the Cameroon National Youth Council in favor of the fight against malaria in Cameroon.

In the declaration, the CNYC recognizes malaria as a major public health challenge and a significant obstacle to sustainable human development in Cameroon. The organization also reaffirmed its institutional responsibility as the umbrella body representing more than 15,000 youth organizations nationwide.

The declaration further outlines several concrete commitments undertaken by the CNYC, including:

• Mobilizing and coordinating youth organizations and networks around malaria prevention initiatives;
• Promoting positive health behaviors among young people and communities;
• Participating actively in national and local awareness campaigns;
• Encouraging youth-led innovation and community engagement in malaria control activities;
• Collaborating with religious and community leaders to amplify sensitization efforts;
• Supporting advocacy for resource mobilization to strengthen community actions;
• Working closely with MINJEC, MINSANTE, PNLP, and ISA in implementing social mobilization activities against malaria.

At the conclusion of the workshop, the CNYC expressed its gratitude to all institutional and technical partners for their continued investment in youth empowerment and public health awareness. The organization reaffirmed its determination to deploy its vast network of youth associations and movements throughout Cameroon to support national malaria eradication efforts.

As part of this renewed commitment, the CNYC calls on all young people and communities to:

• Say no to self-medication against malaria symptoms;
• Say no to unsanitary living conditions;
• Say yes to medical consultation before any treatment;
• Say yes to a clean and healthy environment;
• Say yes to the use of long-lasting insecticide-treated mosquito nets;
• Say yes to Intermittent Preventive Treatment for pregnant women.

Together, let us stop malaria and build a healthier, safer, and more resilient Cameroon.

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