Geohelminth infection, anemia, and malnourishment in Bawa, Cameroon after ten years of intervention by the Bawa Health Initiative

Abstract

The Bawa Health Initiative (BHI) was established in 2005 with the goal of initiating a comprehensive public health care program in Bawa, a rural village in the West region of Cameroon. Interventions undertaken include a comprehensive helminth control program, provision of water filters, sanitary latrines, insecticide-treated bed nets, and a health education program. Data gathered from citizens of Bawa during Dec 2017, were obtained from the Sophie Awounke Community Health Center in Bawa, Cameroon. These data including prevalence of geohelminth infection, morphometric data, and hemoglobin concentrations were compared to data gathered in previous surveys conducted by BHI in 2007 and 2010 to assess the effectiveness of interventions implemented by the organization. All metrics indicate substantial improvement in the overall health of the citizens of Bawa, evidenced by decreases in the occurrence of anemia, prevalence of malnourished, undernourished and stunted individuals and in the prevalence and intensity of geohelminths. These data strongly suggest that public health interventions implemented by BHI have been effective in reducing the burden of disease and increasing the overall well-being of the citizens of Bawa, Cameroon and surrounding villages.

Keywords: Ascariasis, trichuriasis, hookworm infection