Development and implementation of a nutrition education programme for school-going adolescents in the context of double burden of malnutrition: a narrative essay.

The early prevention of non-communicable diseases in Cameroon schools program was initiated in 2018 to address the alarming trend of obesity among adolescents through a nutrition education intervention aimed at increasing knowledge on nutrition and the benefits of healthy eating and physical activity. The program included: school surveys to document eating habits and health-risky behaviors in students, the development of a training curriculum, training and sensitization sessions for school staff, school vendors and students, and advocacy meetings with parliamentarians and mayors. We carried out a quasi-experimental study to assess the effect of the intervention on the student's knowledge and eating behavior three months after the training sessions. We compared the knowledge of a sample of students from five schools that were part of the program (IG) to that of students that were not (CG). The mean (±SD) score was 14.4/20 (±2.1) and 9.7/20 (±2.7) for IG and CG, respectively (p<0.001). Those who scored above 12/20 accounted for 89.8% of IG vs 23.8% of CG (p<0.001). Other significant achievements of this program are the amendment of the National School Hygiene Policy to include compulsory training in food hygiene and nutrition education for school canteen vendors and the integration of nutrition education sensitization sessions into the routine activities of school healthcare. The study showed that a well-structured multi-sectoral nutritional education program could be the bedrock to improve healthy nutrition among adolescents, thereby serving as a vehicle for non-communicable disease prevention.

[Health research in Madagascar: state-of-the-art, challenges and perspectives]. / La recherche pour la santé à Madagascar: état des lieux, défis et perspectives.

The evolution and contemporary challenges of health research (HR) in Madagascar are poorly documented. We aim to gain insights on the factors that shape Madagascar's National Health Research System (NHRS) to better understand their influence. We conducted a qualitative case study, which included a documentary review and semi-structured interviews with 38 key informants. We carried out a thematic analysis and used the WHO/AFRO NHRS Barometer to structure the presentation of the results. There is no legislative framework to support HR activities and institutions. There is, however, a policy document outlining national priorities for HS. Human resources for HR are insufficient, due to challenges in training and retaining researchers. International collaboration is almost the only source of HR funding. Collaborations contribute to developing human and institutional capacity, but they are not always aligned with research carried out locally and the country's priority health needs. Incomplete efforts to improve regulation and low public investment in research training and research implementation reflect an insufficient commitment to HR by the government. Negotiating equitable international partnerships, the availability of public funding, and aligning HR with national health priorities would constitute a solid basis for the development of the NHRS in Madagascar.

Driving under the influence of alcohol in professional drivers in Cameroon.

BACKGROUND: Professional drivers play a pivotal role in transporting people and goods in Cameroon. Alcohol misuse is frequent in Cameroon, but its impact on professional drivers has never been studied. This study assessed driving under the influence of alcohol and its correlates in professional drivers in Cameroon. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted at 4 sites on the Yaoundé-Douala highway during a 10-day period in 2014. At each site, professional drivers were randomly stopped during a 24-h window and their breath was sampled for alcohol use. The prevalence of driving under the influence (the equivalent of blood alcohol level ≥ 1 mg/100 mL) and impaired driving (blood alcohol level ≥ 40 mg/100 mL) was computed for all drivers. The correlates of driving under the influence were assessed using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Of the 807 professional drivers stopped, complete data for 783 were available. Almost all were men (n = 781). The mean age of drivers was 38.3 years (SD = 8.9). About one in 10 drivers (n = 77, 9.8%) tested positive for driving under the influence. About 2.8% (n = 22) had blood alcohol levels ≥ 40 mg/100 mL (legal limit in the United States) and 1.4% (n = 11) had blood alcohol levels ≥ 80 mg/100 mL. The likelihood of driving under the influence increased in drivers scoring 8 or more on Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.60; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.14-6.07) and in those having a nighttime driving schedule (aOR = 4.43; 95% CI, 1.33-14.77). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that increasing enforcement to counter impaired driving in professional drivers in Cameroon is needed. Interventions might include screening for alcohol misuse and hazardous occupational practices.