Officials report drop in malaria burden in 2025, say infant mortality still major challenge.

He made the revelation during a media briefing in Yaounde last Friday April 17. 

During the briefing, the public health official presented the epidemiological situation of malaria, the challenges and issues facing the fight against the disease in Cameroon.

He also reviewed activities planned at central, regional, district and health zone levels. With an estimated prevalence of 26%, Dr Zeh said malaria continues to place a heavy burden on Cameroon’s healthcare system. 

He pointed that healthcare facilities recorded nearly 2.9 million confirmed cases out of approximately 11 million consultations in 2025.

While the trend in cases remains a cause for concern, he said there is a glimmer of hope as 1,261 deaths were recorded in 2025; a 37% decrease compared to 2024. 

Dr Zeh said efforts being done by the government in the fight against malaria in Cameroon are yielding fruits as the number of cases in Cameroon significantly reduced in 2025.

“We recorded a decrease in the number of deaths by practically 37 percent. We left from 2,016 cases in the 2024 to 1,261 cases in 2025. It means all the efforts which are being done by the government by the Minister of Public Health are yielding fruits,” Dr Zeh said. 

He also expressed optimism that with sustained efforts of government and partners, the objective of elimination of malaria can be achieved by 2030.

However, infant mortality remains a challenge, as 72% of the 1,261 death cases recorded in 2025 are children under the age of five. 

In response to this, the public health official averred that a couple of strategies are being set up to scale up vaccination and other measures across the different health districts of the country. 

“We need to maintain the availability of mosquito nets for children and one of the strategies which is being planned for the new strategic plan is distributing mosquito nets in schools to be able to cover the children who don't receive mosquito nets during routine activities,” he said, while hoping this will help reduce mortality in children. 

He further mentioned that malaria chemoprevention campaign are being deployed in the North and Far North regions, which contributes greatly in controlling morbidity and mortality in children. 

“We are working on setting up a strategy to review all the cases of death in children to make sure each case is accounted for, to know exactly what the cause is and to be able to propose solutions,” he added.

The NMCP Permanent Secretary then urged media professionals to be part of a drive to strengthen communication around malaria. He said the aim is to make journalists effective channels for prevention messages and public health issues.

The official also said the ongoing revision of the strategic plan is expected to incorporate new approaches tailored to current challenges, particularly in terms of funding, surveillance and innovation.

The focus is on significantly reducing the burden of malaria and making progress towards its elimination in Cameroon.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3767 of Tuesday April 21, 2026