Church leaders equipped to contribute in fight against malaria.

They were also empowered to develop a mechanism for the sustainable integration of malaria control messages into sermons, teachings, community radio broadcasts, and other forms of communication aimed at the faithful.

The capacity building workshop organised by the non-governmental organisation, Impact Sante Afrique, ISA, took place in Yaounde last September 11. 

According to the Pastor of Ekorezok Parish of Eglise Evangelique du Cameroon, Nono Dopkap Eleonore Manuela epse Kapguep, the initiative to organise the workshop remains laudable.

The preacher described church leaders as having a strategic role in the society which can effectively help in the fight against malaria. 

She noted that religious leaders can borrow a leaf from their contribution in the fight against AIDS, to the fight against malaria prevalence in the society. 

“We were invited to take part in this seminar to strengthen our capacity to combat malaria, which is a common disease in Africa, particularly in Cameroon, due to the unhealthy environment that is conducive to the development of the mosquito that transmits malaria,” she told the press. 

She then assured that religious leaders will have to imbibe in their sermons, awareness-raising messages about malaria. 

She also emphasised the need for the Christian denominations to include field visits, seminars to educate the masses and even other religious leaders and family heads in different communities, so as to take the message of malaria prevention and treatment to every member of to society.

“I think this seminar is a commendable opportunity that can truly contribute to pushing malaria to its most extreme limits, and perhaps even see how to immunise communities in a way that it is no longer harmful,” she posited.   

Meanwhile, the Research and Development Officer at CEPCA, John Essobe, said ISA’s initiative to partner with CEPCA cannot be overemphasised given that most of the 12 member churches not only have congregations planted in different parts of the country, but also own schools, hospitals and other social structures that can effectively contribute to curbing malaria in the country. 

“All of our member churches will be involved in the fight against malaria. It's not the first time. We are doing it within our health facilities. So, we are involved and will be there nearer to the communities, especially those in remote areas, to teach and sensitize the populations because if they are not well, they can't go into church,” she reiterated.  

Enter ISA official

Going by Moulle Christian, Project Communication and Community Engagement Officer of the Equality, Access & Malaria project at ISA, some 30 pastors from CEPCA member churches were selected so as to equip them on the issues and challenges of the fight against malaria, in order to provide sustainable support for the fight against malaria through community mobilization.

In a bid to provide an effective and efficient response to the effects of declining malaria control funding, he said the Ministry of Public Health, through its National Malaria Control Programme, PNLP, has developed a mitigation plan which focuses on mobilizing domestic resources.

Going by him, the SWOT analysis of the 2019-2023 malaria control plan identified the low level of implementation of social mobilization and participation strategy, and insufficient diversification of message dissemination channels amongst others, as weaknesses in the implementation of the component on Communication for Social and Behavioural Change, Political Commitment, and Multi-sectorality.

As such, he argued that the involvement of religious denominations at the national and subnational levels represents an opportunity for social and community mobilization in the fight against malaria and the promotion of healthy behaviours.

It is worth noting that Cameroon is one of the 11 countries most affected by malaria in the world with the parasite prevalence rated at 26.1% in 2022 compared to 24% in 2018. 

Also, at the end of 2024, some 2,964,132 confirmed cases of malaria were reported out of a total of 11,018,183 (26.9%) consultations according to the 2024 PNLP Report. Out of this figures, 2,016 persons died of malaria-related deaths out of a total of 24,652 deaths in health facilities. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3567 of Wednesday September 17, 2025