Dr. Kingsley Eban, the former director of the Muyuka District Hospital in Southwest Cameroon, has filed an appeal to the Supreme Court. This decision follows a ruling by the Buea Court of Appeal
which reduced his initial sentence of 18 years in prison for rape to nine years
who was originally sentenced to 18 years with hard labor
is now contesting the appellate court’s decision
the incident involving Dr Kingsley Eban dates back to Mya 21
it was alleged that he sexually assaulted a trainee in his office
the Fako High Court in Buea found him guilty of charges of rape and indecent assault on a minor
the doctor petitioned to the Southwest court of appeal
the Buea Court of Appeal presided over by Judge Tatsi Theophilus
partially overturned the initial judgment convicting Dr
The appellate court acknowledged procedural and legal irregularities during the original trial
the court reduced his prison sentence from 18 to 9 years
Eban has filed an appeal with the Supreme Court
seeking the complete annulment of his conviction and a new trial
Eban maintains his innocence and is determined to clear his name in order to restore his professional reputation and standing in society
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School-aged children (SAC) are a high-risk demographic group for infectious diseases and malnutrition
The objective of this study was to assess the burden and the effect of Plasmodium falciparum and Schistosoma haematobium infections on the haematological indices in SAC and the confounding influence of malnutrition on the outcomes
This cross-sectional study was conducted in SAC 4–14 years old living in Ikata
Anthropometric measures of malnutrition were obtained and blood samples collected were used for detection of malaria parasites by Giemsa-stained blood films using light microscopy and complete blood count analysis using an automated haematology analyser
Urine samples collected were used to detect micro haematuria with the aid of reagent strips and the eggs of S
Multiple linear regression model was used to examine influence of independent variables on haematological parameters
the prevalence of single infections with Plasmodium or S
haematobium and co-infection with both parasites was 16.2
microcytosis and thrombocytopenia was prevalent in 24.4
A significant linear decline (P = 0.023) in prevalence of P
falciparum infection with the severity of stunting was observed
Factors that significantly influenced haematological parameters included haemoglobin: age
stunting and MP; haematocrit: age and MP; white blood cell count: age; red blood cell count; age and MP; lymphocyte counts: stunting; mean cell volume: age; mean cell haemoglobin: age and stunting; mean cell haemoglobin concentration: sex
stunting and red cell distribution width-coefficient of variation: sex
haematobium infections are common while anaemia is a severe public health problem in Muyuka
The interaction between haematological parameters with malaria parasites as well as linear growth index was negative and other interactions indicate systemic inflammation
While findings provide contextual intervention targets to ensure the judicious use of the limited resources
there is need for regular monitoring and proper treatment to improve the health of the underserved population
With the changing dynamics of malaria transmission and infection due to interventions
which include case management using artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) drugs and vector control through the large-scale distribution of long-lasting impregnated net (LLINs)
monitoring the changes in morbidity in this age group is invaluable
monitoring the variation of intensity of infection and associated morbidity is crucial in ascertaining the sustained impact of control measures or react to new outbreaks
Since SAC are often under-represented in infectious diseases community-based cluster surveys
malaria and UGS burden in this group is poorly defined
the objective of this study was to assess the burden and the influence of infections with P
haematobium on haematological parameters in SAC and the confounding influence of malnutrition on the outcomes in order to provide an insight on morbidities associated with co-infections in areas with ongoing interventions in place
The findings will provide contextual intervention targets in the community to ensure the judicious use of the limited resources in improving the health of the underserved population
Intervention measures in the area include but are not limited to the free distribution of LLINs to pregnant women and children and the mass distribution of mebendazole by the Ministry of Public Health in Cameroon to SAC in schools
This study was conducted among SAC aged 4-14 years of both sexes whose parents consented to their participation in the study
only children who had resided for at least 3 months in the study area were enrolled in the study and their participation in the study was voluntary
the proportion of MP or UGS negative; and d was 0.05
the acceptable error willing to be committed
The optimum sample size was estimated to be 349 (359.5 + 346.3/2)
To mitigate against possible loss of samples due to blood clotting and withdrawal from the study
the sample size was increased by 15% for a minimum of 401 SAC
With respect to sampling to obtain a representative minimum sample of 401 firstly
8 primary schools from a list of schools from the three study sites of Likoko
participants were selected at random by balloting from each class accounting for the numbers above the calculated sample size
Likoko village with the highest number of primary schools had the highest number of study participants followed by Ikata and Bafia
Ikata and Bafia were educated on the importance
benefits and protocol of the study in several reconnaissance visits made to the localities prior to the commencement of the study
Children who presented consent forms signed by parent / caregiver were enrolled into the study and information on both demography and factors that may be associated with malaria and UGS were obtained through an interview using a simple structured questionnaire
Clinical evaluation by the study nurse was carried out subsequently where weight
The study involved the collection of venous blood and one urine sample for haematological analysis
Labelled blood and urine samples placed on ice blocks were transported to the University of Buea Malaria Research Laboratory for further analysis
A pre-tested questionnaire was administered to each participant with the aid of the teachers to obtain information on demography
possible risk factors of Plasmodium and helminth infections as well as malnutrition and anaemia
The ages of participants were obtained from the school register
The axillary temperature was measured using a digital thermometer and a participant with body temperature ≥ 37.5 °C was considered febrile
Prevalence of single infections of P. falciparum and S. haematobium and co-infection by stunting severity
Moderate and severe stunting prevalence by sex and age
P. falciparum (a) and S. haematobium (b) parasite density category prevalence by malnutrition status and severity of stunting
Prevalence of anaemia and its severity by infection category
In the present study we assessed the burden and influence of these infections on haematological indices in SAC and the confounding influence of malnutrition on the outcomes to provide some insight on the morbidities associated with co-infections in areas of ongoing intervention strategies
the interactions in epidemiology in schistosomiasis-endemic foci resulting in lower prevalence of Plasmodium infection when compared with non-endemic foci warrants further investigation
environmental variants within the different localities maybe of significance accounting for the disproportionate distribution of infections in the localities with most of the co-infections observed in the Likoko locality
Whilst it is more likely that the severity of stunted malnutrition may have a negative influence on parasite density since both infections are transitory and severe stunting is chronic and prolonged nutritional inadequacies are required for it to manifest
The perpetual presence of anaemia in apparently healthy SAC negative for both infections with significantly higher occurrence in children 4–9 years old and those with co-infections necessitates caveat in attributing the causality of anaemia to these factors
Although the high prevalence of anaemia in those 4–9 years old could be linked to the high parasite densities of both P
the attributable risk of anaemia associated with these infections in the population remains low
findings from the multivariate analysis asserts a negative interaction between haemoglobin level with malaria parasites and S
haematobium as well as the association between haemoglobin and linear growth index
the comparability of stunting to the population attributable risk of anaemia due to malaria and urogenital schistosomiasis demonstrates the ability to which stunting can exacerbate anaemia observed in the children
Although the context of interpretation is limited to the few cases of thrombocytopenia observed
findings from the study demonstrated no statistically significant association between platelet counts and parasite densities
It is worthy to note that children in the 4–9 years old age group had the highest parasite densities of both Plasmodium and S
the high prevalence of microcytosis in the population may be attributed to the high prevalence of anaemia observed which is partly accounted for by the presence of the parasitic infections and chronic nutritional deficiencies
The findings of the study should be viewed in the context of the limitations of the cross-sectional nature of the design which did not provide the changes in the burden and morbidities following control measures that could have been captured in a longitudinal study
there is a need for further investigations to ascertain the causal relationship between enhanced control interventions and changes in demographic as well as clinical characteristics and burden in this at-risk group to formulate more appropriate public health interventions
haematobium infections are of public health concern while
microcytosis and thrombocytopenia are common
and anaemia is a severe public health problem in Muyuka
The interaction between haematological parameters with malaria parasites as well as linear growth index was negative even though the attributable risk of anaemia associated with these conditions remains low in the population
Other positive interactions between the linear growth index and haematological parameters indicate the occurrence of chronic malnutrition in addition to anaemia as well systemic inflammation
While findings provide contextual intervention targets to ensure the judicious use of the limited resources there is need for regular monitoring and proper treatment to improve the health of the underserved population
All datasets generated and analysed in the current study are presented in the paper and supporting information file
Red cell distribution width-coefficient of variation
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The authors are thankful to the parents/guardians
teachers as well as the children who participated in the study
We acknowledge the support of IIE-SRF (Institute of International Education-Scholar Rescue Fund) and Master of Public Health programme
New York in providing the fellowship and appropriate academic resources for the drafting of this manuscript
The authors received no specific funding for the study
the work was supported by the special fund for research and modernization given to authors by the Government of Cameroon who had no role in study design
Department of Zoology and Animal Physiology
Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Services
Calvin Bisong Ebai & Helen Kuo Kuo Kimbi
Department of Microbiology and Parasitology
laboratory analysis; LF participated in editing and revision of the manuscript; OSMB
All authors read and approved the final manuscript
The study protocol was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Ethical Review Board hosted by the Faculty of Health Sciences
University of Buea following administrative authorisation from the Regional Delegation of Public Health and Basic Education
The ethical approval reference for the study is 2014/243/UB/FHS/IRB
The study was conducted in accordance with the World Medical Association (WMA) principles as stated in the Declaration of Helsinki
The population was sensitized in their various communities at the beginning of the study
Written informed consent was obtained from all parents/caregivers whose child/children participated in the study after explaining the purpose and benefits of their participation
and a participant could decide to halt their participation in the study at any time without any penalty
Participants who had malaria and or helminths were given first line treatment as recommended by the national treatment guideline policy for uncomplicated malaria and helminths
The authors declare that they have no competing interests
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Multiple linear regression analysis examining the influence of independent variables on some haematological parameters
Although not statistically significant UGS had a negative influence on Hb
unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data
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The video of the macabre act that went viral on social media showed separatists butchering a woman on the tarmac with her hands tied behind her
about 1pm a group of separatists brutally murdered a woman in Makanga Quarter in Muyuka Town
the separatists had pulled her brutally on the tarmac before butchering her with a machete
In committing the macabre the separatists videotaped the gruesome scene and posted on social media
Since then there has been a global outcry to that act of barbarism
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Posted: 12 February 2019| Region: Africa | Category: Africa
Author: Margaux Pinaud
Margaux has been with ACLED since 2015 and is now a Research Co-Manager for the Africa desk
she oversees the coding of political violence and protests across all countries in Africa and analyses key trends in weekly regional overviews
She is also a PhD Candidate in Humanitarianism and Conflict Response at the University of Manchester
Her research looks at the role of civilian group actors in conflict transformation processes in intrastate armed conflicts
she is interested in conflict dynamics in East-central Africa as well as aspects of inclusivity and agency in peacemaking and peacebuilding initiatives
Regions: Africa
Separatists’ Abuse Continues in South-West
“Fine play,” a pidgin English expression for “well done.” That’s what an alleged separatist fighter can be heard saying as the throat of a woman is cut with a machete
Human Rights Watch also reviewed a second video
showing separatists interrogating and threatening Tumassang
whom they accused of collaborating with the military
The Minister of Communication issued a statement on August 13 condemning the murder and calling on security forces to ensure civilians’ protection
The video, which corroborates previous accounts of killings by armed separatists documented by Human Rights Watch since late 2016, emerged as a new spike of violence affects civilians across the Anglophone regions
“It flies in the face of humanity for us to accept these abuses as the new normal. There must be accountability,” the prominent human rights activist Felix Agbor Nkongho, also known as Agbor-Balla
Yet when Human Rights Watch contacted the three main Anglophone separatist groups – the Ambazonia Governing Council
led by Samuel Ikome Sako – for their reaction to the video
they condemned the killing but denied responsibility
while others accused government soldiers of disguising themselves as separatist fighters to commit atrocities – an accusation which the Minister of Communication dismissed
Separatists continue to commit serious human rights abuses in the Anglophone regions with near-total impunity
Their leaders should immediately end the violence against civilians
and Cameroon’s international partners and the United Nations Security Council should impose targeted sanctions on separatist leaders responsible for these abuses
Lead Waste Mining and Children’s Right to a Healthy Environment in Kabwe
Kenya’s Suppression of the 2023 Anti-Government Protests
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Human Rights Watch is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit registered in the US under EIN: 13-2875808
This report is produced by OCHA Cameroon in collaboration with humanitarian partners
It covers the period from 1 to 31 October 2022
The next report will be issued in January 2022
No new cholera cases reported in the South-West region (SW) for two consecutive months
Over 7,212 persons were forced to flee their homes due to clashes and violence perpetrated against civilians
Attacks against education continue; at least eight teachers were abducted and tortured for doing their job
2,055 children with severe acute malnutrition have been admitted for treatment
At least 885,211 people in the North-West and South-West regions are in need of adequate dignified shelter
Two health workers were kidnapped in Muyuka (SW) and released two days later
The situation in the North-West and South-West (NWSW) regions remained concerning
characterized by continued fighting between State security forces (SSF) and non-State armed groups (NSAG)
extortion of money and continued use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs)
The population continues to suffer the consequences of violent incidents
either being targeted directly or being caught in IEDs explosions
Partners reported multiple displacements across the NWSW caused mainly by violence
Over 7,212 persons were reportedly displaced to nearby bushes and villages
Manyu (SW) and Bui (NW) divisions are the most affected
Most of the displacements are pendular and temporary
as displaced persons return to their homes once the security situation allows
Humanitarian actors continue to operate under numerous constraints including repeated ghost towns imposed by NSAGs
and risk of IEDs in public spaces and main roads frequented by humanitarian actors
a humanitarian aid worker on field mission to Oku was kidnapped between Ndop and Oku subdivisions in the NW and only released 3 days later after intense negotiations
a truck transporting humanitarian supplies was intercepted by NSAGs in Boyo division
and some non-food items (NFI) kits were forcibly taken
Humanitarian access remains possible but challenging
requiring significant efforts from organisations to be able to conduct all necessary access negotiations and ensure safe humanitarian operations
Attacks against school staff and educational premises continued
eight teachers were abducted and tortured by NSAGs
one in Manyu division on 5 October and seven in Bui division on 25 October
An NSAG faction in Bui division also issued a statement threatening government schools’ teachers and cautioning parents to withdraw their children from government schools
At least five incidents of IEDs were reported in October
Metrics details
its health impacts have been inadequately studied
The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and determinants of polyparasitism with Schistosoma haematobium
Plasmodium and soil-transmitted helminths (STH) following sustained control measures
as well as evaluate the outcomes and clinical correlates of infection in school-aged children (SAC) living in the schistosomiasis endemic focus of Muyuka-Cameroon
blood and stool samples were each collected from SAC (4–14 years) selected at random between March and June 2015
Microhaematuria in urine was detected using reagent strip and S
haematobium ova by filtration/microscopy methods
Plasmodium was detected using Giemsa-stained blood films and complete blood count was obtained using an auto-haematology analyser
STH in stool was detected by the Kato-Katz method
Categorical and continuous variables were compared as required
Kappa value estimated and the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) in the multivariate analysis was used to evaluate association of the risk factors with infection
single infection was prevalent in 33.4% while polyparasitism was 19.9%
haematobium + STH was 0.8%; Plasmodium + STH was 0.8%; while S
haematobium + Plasmodium infection occurred in females
practiced bathing in stream and carried out open defecation than their equivalents
P = 0.009) was the only significant risk factor identified
Anaemia was a common morbidity (74.3%) with a slight agreement with microscopy in predicting S
The sensitivity and specificity of haematuria (13.0%) in predicting S
haematobium infection was 46.5% and 100% with a moderate agreement with microscopy
haematobium and malaria parasite was significantly associated with threefold odds of history of fever in the last three days
Polyparasitism is a public health problem in Muyuka with females most at risk
Anaemia prevalence is exacerbated in co- and triple-infections and together with a history of fever are of value in predicting polyparasitism
these have not been sufficient in interrupting the transmission cycle of the parasites
Hence there is the need for regular monitoring studies in endemic areas to tailor strategies to ensure site-specific interruption of the disease transmission
Due to the commonality of Plasmodium and helminth co-infections [24]
improved understanding of polyparasitism is of concern in resource-limited settings in developing countries where diagnosis and treatment strategies are prioritized
investigating the implications of morbidities associated with polyparasitism is invaluable for healthcare workers
The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and determinants of polyparasitism with S
Plasmodium and STH following sustained control measures as well as evaluate the outcomes and the clinical correlates of infection in SAC living in the schistosomiasis endemic foci of Bafia
This study was conducted among primary school-aged children 4–14 years of both sexes whose parents consented to their participation in the study
Participation was voluntary and only children who had resided for at least three months in the study area took part in the study
the proportion of urogenital schistosomiasis negative; and d was 0.05
The optimum minimum sample size obtained (346.3) was adjusted by 15% to a minimum of 398 in case of sample loss due to transportation difficulties and non-compliance by participants to provide all three samples
a representative sample from each primary school and study site was selected at random by balloting from each class accounting for the numbers above the calculated sample size
regular visits were made to the various study sites
to educate the inhabitants on the importance
Informed consent forms were sent to parents/guardians through the pupils explaining the purpose and benefits of the study as well as the precautions taken to minimize risk
Children who presented signed consent forms were enrolled into the study and interviewed using a simple structured questionnaire to obtain information on both demography and factors that may be associated with the presence of the conditions
This was followed by clinical evaluation where weight
The study involved the collection of venous blood
and stool sample for haematological analysis
Labelled blood and urine (placed on ice block) and stool samples preserved in 10% formalin were transported to the University of Buea Malaria Research Laboratory for further analysis
A semi-structured questionnaire was pre-tested on another community with similar characteristics as the study community and the questions were modified accordingly before being administered
This pre-tested questionnaire of approximately 5 min or less in length per respondent was administered to each participant by a trained research assistant with the aid of the teachers to obtain information on demography
health status and possible risk factors of Plasmodium and helminth infections as well as malnutrition and anaemia
The questionnaire was administered in English language and with a few exceptions in Pidgin English
the most widely spoken language in the area
Slides were considered positive when asexual forms and/or gametocytes of any Plasmodium species were observed on the blood film
All the slides were read twice by two independent microscopists
Malaria parasite per µl of blood was determined by counting the number of parasites per 200 leukocytes and multiplying by the individuals white blood cell (WBC) count
Parasitaemia was classified as low (≤ 500 parasite/µl of blood)
moderate (501–5000 parasites/µl of blood) and high (> 5000 parasites/µl of blood)
microcytosis as MCV < 73 fl and thrombocytopenia was defined as platelet count < 150 000/μl
All data was analysed using IBM-Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 21 (IBM-SPSS Inc.
University of Buea (2014/243/UB/FHS/IRB) after administrative clearance from the South West Regional Delegation of Public Health and Basic Education were obtained
The population was sensitized in the various communities at the beginning of the study
and a participant could opt out of the study at any time without any penalty
Participants who had malaria and or helminths were given first line treatment as recommended by the national treatment guideline policy for uncomplicated malaria (artesunate-amodiaquine) and helminths (praziquantel for urogenital schistosomiasis and mebendazole for STH)
Prevalence of the different categories of infection by age
The different age groups in the study population are 4–6 years
Infection intensity with Schistosoma haematobium as affected by site
Malaria parasite density category prevalence by site
Prevalence of light and heavy intensity Schistosoma haematobium infections as affected by Plasmodium falciparum density
As shown in Table 3
the multivariate analysis revealed no significant demographic or behavioural factors associated with S
P = 0.009) was the only significant risk factor associated with S
haematobium + Plasmodium infection as they were 2.38 times at odds of having the co-infection
P < 0.001) and not practicing open defecation behaviour demonstrated significant protection against S
Overall, the most common unmeasurable clinical outcome reported was fever in the past 3 days (51.7%), followed by lower abdominal pain (43.4%) and fever in the last 3 months (40.0%). As shown in Table 6
haematobium were 1.83 times and 1.68 times at odds of reporting fever in the last 3 days (aOR = 1.83
haematobium and malaria parasite was significantly associated with threefold odds of history of fever in the last three days (aOR = 3.02
P = 0.001) and in addition 2.84 times at odds of having lower abdominal pain (aOR = 2.84
haematobium + STH and those with malaria parasite and STH infections were 3.32 times and 2.12 times at odds of reporting diarrhoea and vomiting respectively
the risk was not statistically significant
we determined the prevalence and determinants of polyparasitism and evaluated the outcomes and clinical correlates of infections in SAC living in the urogenital schistosomiasis endemic foci of Bafia
falciparum following MDA was observed in SAC
the prevalence of polyparasitism is likely to remain a significant public health problem in the Ikata-Likoko area where environmental (streams near homes
high rainfall) and socio-economic (farming and fishing activities
low level of education) characteristics are likely to favour the transmission of these infections
while the national control strategy for helminth infection in SAC may curb transmission
infected individuals not included in the programme are likely to serve as a source of re-infection due to their common exposure to snail infested streams serving the communities
in addition to the existing control measures
sustainable multidisciplinary intervention that integrates preventive chemotherapy with education on water
provision of potable water supply to communities
appropriate faecal disposal methods and improvement in health facilities and care is desired to reduce the burden of parasitic infections
the MDA with an anti-helminthic each year and the ineffective use of LLINs were not successful in preventing reinfections but probably aided in maintaining lower grade parasite intensities in the population
Other common morbidities of significance reported associated with co-infections include lower abdominal pain
the use of a single stool and urine sample for the detection of helminth infection is a limitation in the study as this may have led to underestimation of the prevalence of polyparasitism as well as the intensities of the infections considering the variation in day to day excretion of eggs of some of these parasites
Other intestinal parasites may have gone undetected due to the limited sensitivity of the Kato-Katz technique in detecting other parasites
we consider the data meaningful to reveal implications on disease-related outcome and clinical correlates
despite the implementation of the various control measures and strategies against infection with S
the continued public health threat posed by these infections demonstrate the inadequacies of the measures
There is a need for an upscale in community-based context-specific complementary interventions strategies such as proper environmental management and provision of potable water accessible and affordable to all especially in newly identified foci for urogenital schistosomiasis to supplement the existing national policies
Polyparasitism is a public health problem in the Ikata-Likoko area in Muyuka even though single infection with either Plasmodium or S
Similar behavioural and environmental drivers of co-infections were observed with females most at risk hence
aggressive intervention control strategy is needed
Anaemia was the most common clinical morbidity measured and its occurrence was exacerbated in co- and triple-infection hence
anaemia could be a valuable diagnostic marker of both urogenital schistosomiasis and malaria given its sensitivity in resource-limited endemic areas
Haematuria was specific to urogenital schistosomiasis while there was a general inclination of SAC with P
falciparum to have predominance of microcytosis while those with S
haematobium had a higher occurrence of malnutrition
diarrhoea and vomiting were commonly reported
fever and principally a history of it is of value in predicting polyparasitism
All datasets generated and analysed during the current study are presented in the paper and supporting information files
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The authors are thankful to the parents/guardians as well as the children who participated in the study
No specific funding for the study was received
Calvin Bisong Ebai & Helen KuoKuo Kimbi
Participants who had malaria and or helminths were given first line treatment as recommended by the national treatment guideline policy for malaria (artesunate-amodiaquine) and helminths (praziquantel for urogenital schistosomiasis and mebendazole of STH)
malaria and soil-transmitted helminth control in Cameroon and study area
First school-based deworming with mebendazole/albendazole in primary school children commenced in 2007 and proceeded yearly
This was extended to secondary school children in 2012
Systemic distribution of ITN to household commenced in 2006 through 2011
free treatment of children with uncomplicated malaria was instituted in 2010 and free diagnosis of malaria parasite in publics sector commenced in 2012
Mean (SD) haematological parameters of participants by sex and age
Children 4–6 years had significantly lower mean Hb [102 (15) g/L]
MCV [71.6 (5.4) fl] and MCH [24.7 (1.9) pg]
while the mean RDW-CV was highest [13.0 (1.5) %] when compared respectively
In relation to sex the only significant difference (P = 0.028) was observed in mean MCV with males having a lower value [72.9 (6.1) fl] than females [73.9 (6.1) fl]
Prevalence (95% CI) of infection with Schistosoma haematobium
Plasmodium and STH by demographic and behavioural factors
haematobium infection was significantly higher in females than males while that of P
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40249-021-00802-x
His emissary was in Makanga Quarter in Muyuka Town yesterday August 18
2020 where he assured them that the State is with the family at this difficult time
Joseph Dion Ngute has presented his condolences and that of the government to the Tumassang's family in Muyuka
This follows the brutal killing of their daughter
Ebune Confiance who is Director of Cabinet at the Prime Minister's Office presented to the Tumassangs assuring words
"The Prime Minister was saddened by what happened to your daughter
The video depicting her killing is most horrible
He said your family should be strong at this difficult moment
That the government is with you people and had been sorting out all avenues to end this crisis," the PM's condolence message was presented to the deceased's 62 year-old-mother
MINCOMMERCE chaired the handing over ceremony in Muyuka on Tuesday February 5
a major cocoa producing basin situated some 17 km from Muyuka in the South West region
is the first beneficiary of the Oven Rehabilitation Project masterminded by the Cocoa and Coffee Interprofessional Council (CCIC)
A total of 44 repaired and operational ovens out of the 141 earmarked in the region for Owe
Kombone Mission and Ekombe to the tune of FCFA 100 million
have already been handed to the beneficiary cocoa farmers in Bafia
in a ceremony presided at by the Minister of Trade
Army denies involvement in death of four-month old in violence-plagued anglophone region
The parents of a baby allegedly murdered by Cameroonian soldiers last Monday have gone into hiding
afraid speaking out will make them a target for the authorities
Pictures of the dead four-month-old Martha Neba were circulated online
along with a graphic video showing her body on a sofa with bullet casings nearby and her aunt crying as an unknown man filming the video accused Cameroon’s military of killing her
“Let them come and kill me too,” screamed Martha’s aunt
It appeared to be the latest attack in a bloody conflict between government forces and separatist rebels from the central African country’s anglophone regions
one in which civilians have been repeatedly caught in the crossfire
The family was visiting Muyuka in the South-West region so that four-month-old Martha could be presented to her grandfather
her mother was cooking behind it and her father relaxing out front when they heard gunshots
“I quickly told my wife to run,” said Martha’s father
“She went and hid around our neighbour’s house
On my way back I met a man who told me about the incident
I rushed home and saw my daughter on the chair
the men were arguing as they left the house
with one asking another why he had shot such a young child
View image in fullscreenCameroonian soldiers were accused of burning down houses in Mankon
Photograph: Musi Waa/MusinashWhen she saw her daughter
then the video of her appeared on social media
When soldiers came to the house asking for her parents
The government denied what it said were false accusations
giving his version of events in a statement
He said Neba was a former secessionist rebel
and that he and most of his family had fled when his ex-comrades
and the subsequent video had been staged in order to “demonise” the country’s armed forces
and did not announce an investigation into the baby’s death
said he was not a rebel but a banana plantation worker who had worked for months without pay
“If the government can come out and say I am a separatist
other than that God who created us all knows that I am innocent,” he said
he said they should come and kill him since they have already done their worst
He questioned why they killed the innocent child
(when) they could have rather killed him.”
Cameroonian soldiers were accused of burning down 70 houses in an attack on Mankon
dragging a man from his house and killing him in the street
The defence ministry announced an investigation
Houses and villages are commonly burned down by the military: the locality of Kikaikelaki has suffered particularly in recent weeks
caught in the crossfire between the military and separatists
and reportedly being looted by the military
One resident who built water catchments that provided hundreds of people with clean water during the crisis had his house and possessions razed
Lionesses fifteens captain Peruz Muyuka says that her team is ready for next week’s Rugby Africa Women’s Cup Pool B competition in Kampala
The side is drawn against Zambia and Uganda for the week long round robin competition
Speaking at the team’s training base at the RFUEA Ground on Wednesday morning
“We have never played Zambia before…it’s not going to be an easy match as we don’t know what to expect.”
With a clash against neighbors and rivals Uganda looming
Either one of us is going to prove themselves
We are ready mentally and physically and hoping for the best.”
We are so excited as it has been a while since we played a fifteens international
We are ready to prove that we have not been training in vain,” she concluded
The Lionesses will begin their campaign with a clash against Zambia at 4.00pm on Saturday 29 October before playing hosts Uganda at 4.00pm on Wednesday 2 November
Head Coach Dennis Mwanja is expected to announce the final travelling squad next week.