La SMAM dans la Région du Sud Cameroun

Par Mme OSSOMBE Marie Claire et Mme Mendo Emmanuelle
CASAMAC Ebolowa
S'est tenu la réunion préparatoire des activités de la SMAM 2010 à la Fondation CBE, le 04 juillet en présence du représentant du médecin chef de la Fondation Chantal Biya, du Chef du District de Meyomessala et des membres de la communauté.
Le sujet de discussion portait sur le thème de la SMAM 2010 et la stratégie de sensibilisation des populations sur les avantages de l'allaitement maternelle et la célébration de la SMAM. Tous étaient d'un même accord pour le choix de la journée du 07 août pour l’organisation des activité de mobilisation et sensibilisation des mères et pères dans toute la région du sud.
Le 13 juillet 2010, s’est tenu à Biba Yevol s'est tenu une réunion au cours de laquelle les membres du CASAMAC, Mme EBO'O Esther, les populations des villages voisins ont eu l'occasion des échanges sur les biens faits de l'allaitement maternel, des bonnes position de mise au sein, et du thème de I' année 2010, en insistant sur la mise précoce de l'enfant au sein 30 minutes après I’ accouchement, le prolongement de I ‘allaitement jusqu'a 2 ans et plus, et le placement du bébé peau à peau avec sa mère immédiatement après la naissance.
Le 26 juillet 2010 au service de District d'Ebolowa, tous les chefs des aires de sante étaient présents et ont suivi les explications sur les 10 conditions pour la réussite de l'allaitement maternel ceci en présence du chef de District de santé d'Ebolowa lui-même, chacun d'eux rentrait avec une fiche de la politique de l'allaitement ce qui prouvait que le district de sante d'Ebolowa mènera cette sensibilisation chacun dans son aire de sante.
Le 28 juillet 2010, s'est tenue une réunion de mise au point des activités marquant la célébration de la SMAM 2010 à la Délégation Régionale du Sud.
Etaient presents:
Mme MBlAM (DRSS)
Mme MAHOP (DRSS)
Mme OSSOMBE (CASAMAC)
Au cours de cette réunion d’échanges des idées, ont été menées entre les trois personnes. Le calendrier de sensibilisation des populations dans la région du sud a été élaboré.
Le 1er aout 2010, les populations de Nko' ovos et les commerçants du marché sont informées sur les bénéfices qu' apporte la mise précoce de I' enfant au sein, le prolongement de I ‘allaitement, I’ alimentation par une nourrice, I’ alimentation d’une mère qui travaille hors de sa maison et qui allaite.
Nous leurs avions montrés. comment exprimer le lait et le matériel adéquat à utiliser par l'exemple des seringues. Nous leur avions expliqués les inconvénients de l'utilisation des tétines, des biberons et les avantages d'utilisation de la tasse qui se lave facilement en empêchant à l'enfant d'attraper les diarrhées.
Toujours dans la journée du 1er Aout, des messages écrits ont circulé dans les Eglises pour expliquer comment entretenir la lactation même quand la femme se déplace, le moment de mettre l'enfant au sein, sans oublier de parler du soutien que doivent apporter les membres de la famille et de la communauté face aux femmes qui allaitent car une femme qui allaite a besoin d'aide.
Le Q2 aout 2010, une descente s’est produite à l’annexe Enongal et à la maternité de Hôpital Regional Ebolowa ou il fallait afficher la politique de I 'allaitement et inciter le personnel à le mettre en pratique.
Le 03 aout 2010, les membres de la CASAMAC ont participés au lancement national de la SMAM à l’HGOPY par son excellence le Ministre de la Sante Publique. Dans le stand d’exposition de CASAMAC le membre ont expliqués et a démontré comment exprimer le lait à travers le seringue et le donner à la tasse au bébé. Acte qui a été apprécié par le Ministre de la Sante Publique et ses collaborateurs pendant la visite de stands des associations affilié à la FECABPA comme du CASAMAC.
Le 04 aout 2010, les membres du CASAMAC ont utilisés la stratégie porte à porte dans le quartier Mvomeka pour expliquer les avantages de l'allaitement, les conditions de réussite à savoir la mise au sein précoce, la fréquence des tétés, le prolongement de l'allaitement, l'expression du lait. Une descente a été effectuée à l'h6pitaJ de district de MeyomessaJa. La radio de Meyomessala a reçu les membres du CASAMAC et ceux de la Fondation Chantal Biya pour une table ronde sur la réussite de l'allaitement dans la soirée.
Le 05 août 20 I 0, la sensibilisation s'est poursuivie dans les quartiers à Meyomessala dans la journée, et dans la soirée à la radio. Une autre équipe s'est retrouvée a l'hôpital régional d'Ebolowa ou l'entretien entre eux et le personnel dudit hôpital a été effectif sur le bon suivi des femmes enceintes, leur alimentation, leur habillement et tous les examens qu'elles doivent faire durant la période de la grossesse. Les deux équipes leur ont parlés des conditions pour garantir la sante de I’ enfant et de la mère. Un accent particulier a été fait sur la mise aux seins précoce par la mère afin de mieux avoir beaucoup du lait durant la péri ode d'allaitement, car beaucoup de femmes commencent à donner le sein au bébé dès leur sortie de l'hôpital, ce qui retarde la montée laiteuse.
L’expression du lait a aussi été démontré de manière manuelle, et avec les syringes ce qui fait maintenir la lactation et empêcher à ce que le lait tarisse. Les équipes ont expliqués le condense de la politique de I ‘allaitement maternel, et ont distribue cette politique au personnel.
Sans oublier de présenter les avantages que la mère peut tirer quand elle allaite à savoir la réduction du cancer des ovaires, des seins et de l'utérus, et l'attachement renforce avec son bébé pour ne cité que ceux la. Les avantages que I’ enfant peut tirer quand il tète le sein de sa mère sont, le développement du cerveau entrainant l'intelligence, la réduction des infections infantiles,le renforcement du phénomène d'attachement auprès de sa mère.
Le 06 août 20I0, la sensibilisation porte à porte s’est achevée dans les quartiers de Meyomessala et de Bidjong. L 'équipe de la ORE et du CASAMC ont expliqués les avantages de I 'allaitement maternel et des différentes options de l'allaitement aux femmes enceintes et celles allaitantes venues à la vaccination à la PMI d'Ebolowa. Les deux équipes révèle que la mère et le bébé profitent de cet allaitement car la maman ne peut pas vite concevoir quand elle allaite régulièrement et le lait est toujours disponible pour le bébé.
Le 07 août 2010, la célébration de la grande tété de I ‘allaitement maternel au Centre médical de la Fondation Chantal Biya de Meyomessala. A la FCB de Meyomessa]a, une causerie éducative au bénéfice des femmes enceintes et celles allaitantes s'est tenue. Des explications ont été menées sur les risques que courent les enfants de prendre les tétines et sucettes, car ces dernières rendent les gencives des enfants fragiles à la longue, et empêchant I 'enfant de téter au moment ou il a besoin.
Le conseil reçu était de donner le sein à l'enfant à la demande, donc toutes les 15 minutes pour réussir à I 'allaitement. Par la suite, Mme la présidente du CASAMAC , Mme OSSOMBE Marie Claire, a parle aussi de l'initiative des hôpital et communauté amis des bébés et des mères et de la maternité, car disait- elle « les mères commence à donner le sein à l’hôpital sous l’observation du personnel médical, mais une fois sortie de cet hôpital, de cette maternité, les associations, les ONG comme CASAMAC continuent le suivi jusqu’à 2ans et plus, afin d’obtenir un bon succès dans l’activité d’allaitement d’où l’innovation de cette initiative jadis appelé « l’Hôpital Amis des Bébés ».
Ce jour, plus de 250 femmes à Meyomessala, accompagné des hommes ont reçus les informations sur les motifs de réussite de I ‘allaitement maternel. Elles étaient étonnées qu’une femme se déplace pour trois jours, revient allaiter son bébé au retour sans voir cet enfant mourir de mauvais lait. Elles étaient aussi étonnées de voir une femme exprimer le lait et le donner à la tasse à son bébé. Au terme de cet entretien, elles ont compris que mettre l'enfant au sein 30 minutes après I’ accouchement est l'une des conditions pour la réussite de I ‘allaitement maternel.
Les membres se sont séparés avec les mères accompagnés de petits cadeaux aux femmes enceintes et allaitantes. La réussite de la SMAM au Sud est dure à la collaboration entre CASAMAC et les hôpitaux et centres de santé impliqués à la réalisation des activités planifiés.
Les facilitatrices et facilitateurs étaient, Mme MAHOP DRSS , Mme SAAKJ Naomi et MENOUE Nelly, Mme OSSOMBE Marie Claire et Mme MENDO Emmanuelle, Medecin chef de la FCB, Medecin chef de district de sante de Meyomessala, M. AFANE de la FCB de Meyomessala, Mme Achila PrisciJlia et M. MESSANOA et M.ENDENZOUM (CSI)

World AIDS Day In Cameroon 2009

By Priscile Mouto, COGESID
The World AIDS Day in Cameroon was commemorated under the patronage of Chantal Biya, UNESCO’s Goodwill Ambassador for Education and Social inclusion. COGESID Bonamikano joined Cameroon Link to champion the youth initiative in Douala after the enthusiastic crowd of students, people living with HIV, people vulnerable to HIV, national and international dignitaries jammed the Multi-purpose sports complex in the launching in Yaounde.
Different from other years, the population yelled and danced to popular “Merci” music following the government’s announcement that the prevalence rate dropped to 5.1% as against 5.5% in 2004. The 22nd edition of World AIDS Day was commemorated with hope.
From all indications, there was hope in the horizon as the struggle against HIV/AIDS continues. The population could not remain indifferent to the soul touching and electrifying campaign songs from popular musicians including Majoie Ayi, Nono Flavie, Billy Jackson, Narc6 Pryze, Richard Kings and Tribute Sisters who went on stage.
As the songs blew the trumpets of hope, the audience danced, clapped and screamed in happiness, especially as the theme of the commemoration was “I am in full possession of my rights, stop AIDS, keep the promise”.
The President of the National AIDS Control Committee, Andre Mama Fouda, who is also the Minister of Public Health said, Cameroonians have a reason to feast because recent reports from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS indicate a reduction in new HIV infections. He added that AIDS is no longer similar to death as it was the case before. He continued that researchers tell us, HIV is an infection that can handled like all others.
Minister Mama Fouda, however, urged the youths to remain faithful to one partner and practice safe sex through the correct usage of the male and female condoms. The Coordinator of the United Nations system in Cameroon, Thierry Mertens lauded Cameroon’s efforts in topping the position of rendering HIV treatment accessible to those in need at no cost. He invited Cameroon to put more efforts on prevention.
HIV/AIDS prevalence was said to have dropped by 17% in the world as a whole in the last eight years. UNAIDS published the prevalence of persons between 15 – 49 years in Cameroon as 5.1% compared to 2004. Though this results, Minister Andre Mama Fouda reiterated that the country’s population could do more efforts to arrive at a rate below 5% in the next two years.
Answering the query on the ruptures of anti-retroviral drugs in Cameroon, Dr. Thierry Mertens of the UN system announced that Cameroon is the No.1 in Africa as far as availability of HIV/AIDS care units and voluntary screening centres is concerned. This justifies the availability of treatment drugs at a durable stage that needs to be consolidated, he emphasized.
The representative of persons living with HIV/AIDS, Michel Irogo, told the audience that the area of rights protection of infected and affected persons remains unexploited because of the lack of a legal frame work in Cameroon. He explained that stigmatisation and discrimination is still a reality throughout the country.
Though there was joy in the drop of prevalence, the Cameroon government has to think twice at the moment on how to reduce the fears of persons living with HIV, because it missed the eight and ninth round of the Global Fund subvention for the next two years 2010 to 2011.
The government through the ministry of public health is currently encouraging public-provate partnerships (PPP), as a means of making treatment and care of persons living with HIV/AIDS in enterprises sustainable even without the Global Fund subvention. On the other hand, the minister of public health during the last national assembly budget session proposed a project of including HIV/AIDS into the 2010 investment budget as a solution.
The argument given to defend the budget is that HIV/AIDS affects the national economy negatively, especially as it affects the out put of workers and productivity of industrial chains. Cameroon is taking measures to implement the universal access to treatment as contained in its 2006 – 2010 health plan of action.
In the Littoral region, 15.000 persons are under anti-retroviral drugs supervision The Regional Coordinator for AIDS Control in the Littoral region of Cameroon, Dr. Noel Essomba, says there are 45.000 infected persons and the prevalence rate is 4.5%.

Cameroon Link Men’s Initiative Profile

Cameroon Link Men’s Initiative Be Part of Men’s Initiative E-newsletter
Connecting to “Not for Fathers Only”http://cameroonlink.blogspot.com/
•Participate and tell your stories.
•Network and link with men, women and youth around the world.
•Be a catalyst and make the changes you want to see.
•Support mothers worldwide.
•Donate for Cameroon HIV orphaned children
•Share experiences and learn from others.
•Reach mothers and babies around the world.
•Participate in World Breastfeeding Week events
•Promote exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and complementary thereafter with continued breastfeeding up to 24 months and more.
•Advocate for application of International Code on breastmilk substitute marketing with sanctions.
•Are there others like me? Link us with them!
•Individuals and organizations supporting fathers, mothers and families.
•Men’s Initiative E-newsletter produced two times a year in English and French.
Write for the e-newsletter about:
1.Men’s Initiative Snap Shot
2.Father, Mother, Youth and Community Support
3.Infant and Young Child Feeding
4.Exclusive Breastfeeding/Resources
5.Your calendar of events and conferences
6.Breastfeeding news around the world
7.Send feedback on Code Monitoring
If you have any story or news to share, please write to:
Editor: James Achanyi-Fontem,
Coordinator, WABA Men’s initiative
Tel: 00237 77 75 88 40
Email: camlink99@gmail.com or camlink2001@yahoo.com For more on Men’s Initiative, please click on the following link or copy and paste on your browser- http://cameroonlink.blogspot.com/ Watch video on You Tube at- http://uk.youtube.com/camlink99/ For WABA Men’s Working Group, click on the following link or copy and paste on your browser:www.waba.org.my/men/

FATHERHOOD AND CHILDCARE

SCANDINAVIAN FATHERHOOD AND CHILDCARE
By Yvonne BEKENY, MA, Development & Cooperation
When we talk of about the Scandinavian countries, we are referring to Denmark, Sweden and Norway, but in this infant and young child feeding investigation, Finland and Iceland have been included on the list because they also share similar features. In Ellingsater & Leira (2006) used as a reference, they have been as such. These are the countries in the Northern part of Europe which share close historical and cultural connections. They are welfare states which assume total responsibility for the welfare of their citizens.
The Scandinavian countries are reputable in their work and family policies that promote gender equality and through these policies, provide more services and benefits for households and therefore lessening the burdens of families. Welfare and care services facilitate the employment of women in these countries according to Leira in Ellingsater & Leira (2006). Leira further states that fathers as well as mothers are presumed to be capable of balancing employment and the care of children. Although very slight differences exist among the Scandinavian countries, they all provide mothers and fathers with ‘the choice of either publicly prolonged familised care or defamilised care services. Parenthood targets working and domesticated mothers Leira emphasized in Ellingsater & Leira (2006).
Parental Leave
Parental leave in the Scandinavia is quite a long period covered by the state for both father and mother. The duration of leave for the mother ranges from six months to ten months and even up to eighteen months in Sweden (Eydal, B. 2008). Paternity leave is a shorter period and it is three weeks in Finland and Iceland, and two weeks in other Scandinavian countries. On the other hand it was surprising to not that paternity leave has been abolished in Denmark. Nevertheless, the father can share the parental leave with the mother according to their mutual agreement. The leave period arrangement under such an agreement varies from country to country (Lammi-Taskula in Ellingsater & Leira 2006).
In principle, only one parent at a time remains at home on parental leave to take care of the child, while the other goes to work or study. However it is normal for the other parent to take regular annual leave and stay at home with the other during the same period. Paternity benefits in the scandinavian countries depend on the length of time the father has been in full employment. Lammi-Taskula in Ellingsater & Leira, mentions that ‘in Finland, a father living together with the mother of the child is entitled to parental leave and benefit regardless of the mother’s position in the labour market. In Sweden, even if the father does not leave with the mother, he is also entitled to parental benefit if their child lives in Sweden and the parents have shared custody. These forms of leave are part of the Social Insurance scheme; therefore earnings related compensation is paid during the leave period.
References
•Ellingsater, L. A. & Leira, A. (2006) (Eds) POLITICIZING PARENTHOOD IN THE SCANDINAVIA, Gender Relations in Welfare states. The policy press, UK.
•Eydal, Gudny Bjork (Associate Professor, University of Iceland, Reykjavic, Iceland) (2008)
•Lecture Delivered in the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Jyvaskyla on the 19-03-2008

L’Initiative D'hommes de WABA

La Vision et Mission de l’Initiative D'hommes de WABA
Fondé en octobre 2006, l’Initiative D'hommes de WABA est un développement et majoration continue de l'idée d'impliquer des hommes, dans l'effort à protéger, promouvoir et soutenir l’allaitement maternel. L'idée initiale était née pendant le Forum Global 2 de WABA, Nourrissant L'avenir: Défie d’Allaitement maternel dans le 21è Siècle en septembre 2002 à Arusha, Tanzanie. Le forum a conduit à la formation de L'initiative Globale pour Le soutien de Père (GIFS).
En Octobre 2006, dans la conjoncture de l’atélier de formation du Genre de WABA et le seminaire des Jeunes, une réunion d'hommes en assemblée à essayer de revivifier l’ effort de GIFS. Pendant les déliberations les membres ont decouvertes que le terme "père" était trouvé limiter et le groupe a voulu élargir l'étendue de travail qui conduit à la naissance d’Initiative d’Hommes de WABA.
L'initiative est coordonnée par le Groupe de Travail D'hommes (MWG) des régions du monde.
La vision
Un monde où allaitement maternel est une norme culturelle et où les hommes soutiennent des femmes et familles à nourrir et donnent les soins optimal à leurs nourrissons et jeunes enfants, contribuant ainsi à un juste et équitable société du genre, saine et égale.
La mission
Créer un environnement permettant aux hommes, particulièrement les pères, à participer activement aux activités et prennant les responsabilités d’autre part avec les femmes dans le soins optimal pour leurs nourrissons et jeunes enfants, participent aux plaidoiries, formation et renforcement des capacités bâtissant des populations.
Les buts
• à augmenter et améliorer la participation de pères et les hommes dans l’attachement parentale et soutien à l’allaitement maternel.
• à augmenter la participation d'hommes, surtout les pères, dans l’encadrement des soins des enfants, à prendre les responsabilités domestiques, et à soulever la sensibilisation d'hommes sur les droits de la femme et les droits de l 'enfant, participer à la recherche des solutions aux problèmes rélative à la santé de reproduction et promotion des rélations sexuel sûr.
• à soutenir les efforts qui assurent un plus grande égalité de genre dans toutes sociétés et dans l'ordre permettant un environnement sain pour l’ allaitement maternel, la promotion de la santé de le famille et le bien être..
LES OBJECTIFS
• à disséminer les connaissances et les informations spécifiques et les avantages de la participation de pères et tous les parents;
• à développer les profils de pays qui fourniront un image globale de la participation d'hommes dans l'alimentation des enfants et aux bons soins de nourrissons et jeunes enfants;
• à agir comme un stimulus si bien que l'établissement de l’initiative de soutien de Père porte globalement des résultats positives
• à améliorer réseau et liens avec des groupes de soutien connexes de cibles, particulièrement les groupes d'hommes, à promouvoir le soutien des pères;
• à promouvoir des activités et services pre - natale, post-natale, information, education et communication des services entremises natales et formation parentale pour les pères;
• à recommander et faire le plaidoyer pour un amélioration de la législature sur le soutien parentale maximume d'hommes dans les soins des enfants et les mères;
Les Activités/Programmes
1. Le Bulletin d’Information
Le MWG e-newsletter est produit deux fois par an en Anglais et Français pour la diffusion des rôles positive d’hommes en matière de la promotion de l’allaitement maternel, soutien aux femmes, mères et les enfants. MWG collabore avec le Groupe de Travail de Soutien de Mère (MSTF) dans la confection et diffusion d’e-newsletter qui publie des articles sur le soutien des mères et le soutien des pères. L’ e-newsletter de MSTF est produit en quatre (4) langues: L'Anglais, Français, Espagnol et Portugais.
2. Le Seedgrant D’Initiative d’Homme
Le seedgrant a pour but l’établissement ou renforcement des groupes de soutien des pères dans la protection de l’allaitement maternel, la promotion des Initiatives Communautaire de l’Ami du Père (ICAP) dans le monde entier pour l’allaitement maternel.
3. La sectionne du Site Internet
Les revues et mise à jour d'initiative d’Hommes sont publiés dans la sectionne du site internet de WABA. Nous vous invitons à soumettre des articles, les histoires, le rapport des recherches, les images des activités intéressantes, les maillons des hommes/pères au site de WABA. Vous trouveriez la liste d'événements pertinents à l’ initiative de l'Hommes sur le site aussi.
4. La feuille d’Activité
Le MWG produit un feuille des activités sur le père/ le Soutien d’Hommes. La feuille présente les activités sur la participation d'hommes, surtout les pères, dans l’encadrement des soins des enfants, à prendre les responsabilités domestiques, et à soulever la sensibilisation d'hommes sur les droits de la femme et les droits de l 'enfant, comment participer à la recherche des solutions aux problèmes rélative à la santé de reproduction.
5. Les Images Régionales
Ce projet vise à produire un outil à recueillir des informations et à obtenir une meilleure compréhension de la situation de paternité et des hommes dans des pays différents (ou régions ) . L’image permettra au MWG à améliorer les strategies de travail d'initiative plus efficacement.
6. La campagne de sensibilisation sur le Genre
WABA MWG organise les campagnes de sensibilisaton pour le soutien d'initiative d'Hommes dans les réseau pour accomplissement des ses objectifs.
7. Le Plaidoyer
Les campagnes de soutien de l’initiative d’homme de WABA sont réalisées pendant les grandes événements et conférences, et des occasions de diffusion des activités du réseau. Le communiqués de presse sont publiés pendant les évenement organisés par les Nations Unies à l’intérêt des groupes d’homme.
8. Le Forum des Pères
Le MWG prépare le Forum Global 3 d’où sera organisé le premier forum d’initiative d’Homme de WABA en 2010.
9. Le Soutien de L’Initiative d'Hommes
Vous êtes invités à soutenir l’Initiative d'Hommes de WABA en l'endossant sur le site internet le formulaire de soutien disponible à: http://www.waba.org.my/men/
L’EQUIPE DIRIGEANTS
Le Noyau du Groupe & Les Membres
Coordinateur: James Achanyi-Fontem, Cameroon
Per Gunnar Engblom, Sweden
Ray Maseko, Swaziland
Qamar Naseem, Pakistan
Arturo Arteaga Villaroel, Mexico
Peter Breife, Sweden
Jose Quiros, Costa Rica
Santiago Vallone, Argentina
Adresse de contact:
Men’s Working Group
WABA
PO Box 1200
10850 Penang
Malaysia
Telephone: +604 6584816
Fax: +604 6572655
Website: www.waba.org.my
Email: waba@streamyx.com
L'alliance Mondiale pour L'action d’allaitement maternel (WABA) est un réseau global d'individus et organisations impliqués sur la protection, promotion et soutien d'allaitement maternel basé sur la Déclaration d’Innocenti, les Dix Liens pour Nourrir Le Futur et la Stratégie Globale de L’OMS/UNICEF pour la nutrition des nourrissons et Jeune Enfant Alimentant. Ses partenaires de coeur sont le Réseau International D'action pour la Nutrition Infantile (IBFAN), La Leche Ligue Internationale (LLLI), International Lactation Consultants Association Des conseillers (ILCA), Wellstart International, et l’Académie de Médicament Allaitement (ABM). WABA est dans le statut consultatif avec Fonds D'enfants des Nations Unies (UNICEF) et un ONG dans Le statut Consultatif Spécial avec Le Conseil Economique et Sociale des Nations Unies (ECOSOC). Pour la SMAM cliquez ici, http://www.worldbreastfeedingweek.net/wbw2008/cameroon.htm

Profile of WABA MWG Coordinator

Who Is Coordinator of WABA Men's Initiative ?
The appointment of James Achanyi-Fontem as Coordinator of WABA Men’s Initiative was made public by Co-Director Susan Siew on Thursday, 22 May 2008 at 14:52:40 +0800 in a mail to all members of the men’s working group and regional focal points.
James Achanyi-Fontem is a Senior Health Journalist and Communication Consultant. He is also a father of many children (3 Girls and 3 Boys). All of them were breastfed. As the first son of his family, he was breastfed for 36 months. James is also a grandfather. His two grandsons and one grand daugther were also exclusively breastfed.
James had worked as a health journalist and broadcaster for 30 years with the Cameroon Radio Television, CRTV, before retiring. He is now the National Coordinator of Cameroon Link, a registered charity, not-for-profit organisation,Cameroon Link, involved in the promotion of, community health, humanitarian assistance, socio-economic development, and human rights advocacy for the mother and the child.. He is current Chairperson of the Federation of Cameroon Breastfeeding Promotion Associations, FECABPA, and he also coordinates the IBFAN Cameroon Group activities. He triples as Coordinator of the anti-corruption committee of the Health District Hospital of Bonassama; Director of Publications of Cameroon Link Health Blog. He had held the positions of Editorial Advisor and Editor-in-chief of some five different national tabloid newspapers and magazines. James has been an active member of the Men’s Initiative, contributing to the Regional Snapshots project and through Cameroon Link publications done a tremendous amount of work on issues surrounding support and training for fathers and families.
James is setting the pace of the same level of enthusiasm and energy to the MWG and WABA work is in turn value-adding to and enhancing his work at Cameroon Link. As with all activities of working groups and task forces, WABA appreciates the synergies produced with individuals and organisations that are mutually beneficial.
WABA encourages all to join in welcoming James to the new exciting and challenging role of coordinating and facilitating the MWG. He needs the support and cooperation of all to move the MWG agenda forward. Revathi Ramachandran is the liaison person from the WABA Secretariat to support the MWG.
Answer To Call
In response to the call to join WABA’s team, the Men’s Initiative Coordinator sent the following to endorsers as his personal statement: « Can we doubt that the true function of the life of Lincoln’s mother was to give the world the man he became? We may have our present occupations, our present avocations and employments. We may have work to do today that receives all our devotion, and we may be doing that work well and with little selfishness, but it may not be the truly great function of this life.
We may find only at the close of life what our great function was, what we came into this incarnation to do, and how well we have succeeded without fully realizing it. But with most of us there will come a time when we will keenly realize that we must perform some other work or service as our true function.
With some, this may be but the work of an hour or less, while with others its may be something for a day or week or month; and with still others, the work may be that which will occupy some of their time for the remainder of their lives.
How shall we discover our function? By being prepared and ready to serve when the call comes and by being tolerant enough, broad enough, to pause at every door, stop at every call, listen to every plea, listening all the while to the still, small voice within.
The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) is a global network of individuals and organisations concerned with the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding worldwide based on the Innocenti Declarations, the Ten Links for Nurturing the Future and the WHO/UNICEF Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding. Its core partners are International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN), La Leche League International (LLLI), International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA), Wellstart International and Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (ABM). WABA is in consultative status with UNICEF and an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC). To know more about WABA contact the following link:
WABA, PO Box 1200, 10850 Penang, Malaysia
Tel: 604-658 4816 Fax: 604-657 2655
Email: waba@streamyx.com
Website:www.waba.org.my
For more on Cameroon Link, please click on the following link, http://www.worldbreastfeedingweek.net/wbw2008/cameroon.htm

Researching On Youths & HIV In Cameroon

Researching On Youths & HIV In Cameroon
Yvonne Bekeny, Development and International Cooperation Researcher on Youths and HIV in Finland arrived Cameroon and decided to take a break before beginning her internship at Cameroon Link in June 2008. This period was summer holiday for schools in Cameroon. Her initial destination for internship was The Gambia, but due to her ill health and surgery she was unable to travel to The Gambia. During her period of bed rest she contacted Cameroon Link Human Development Non-Governmental-Organization by email and telephone to arrange for research on the youths and HIV. Her investigation had to lead to improving HIV/AIDS education in schools in Cameroon and other health development issues. On completion, she acknowledged that her work with Cameroon link gave her an opportunity to see the bigger picture of the connection between health and development not only in the secondary school milieu, but also at the community level.
INTRODUCING CAMEROON LINK
Cameroon Link is a development and humanitarian umbrella NGO based in Douala- Cameroon,`that co-ordinates activities of six Women and Gender AIDS Councils, (COGESID) acronym from its French name legalised by the government within the frame work of a Gender, AIDS and Development Promotion project. Cameroon Link had put in place five Local community AIDS control Committees (CLLS), acronym from its French name) within the assistance framework of the Canadian Co-operation and the National AIDS Control Committee. These eleven community based organisations operate in different health areas of Bonassama District and Cameroon Link co-ordinates the execution, supervision and evaluation of the entire health organisations network.
Cameroon Link is also a member of the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) and is affiliated to the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) Africa. Its activities fall within the range of Health and Development, social mobilization, gender promotion, women’s reproductive rights advocacy, reduction of maternal and infant mortality, reduction of malnutrition, initiation of socio-economic development empowerment projects through micro-credit promotion activities and media involvement for information, education and communication (IEC).
All these fall within the frame work of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. For eighteen years, Cameroon Link NGO has been serving the community and during this period, it has made its impact felt. It has been able to mobilize the community to create community health centres in the slum areas where health care is meagre and sometimes the inhabitants of these areas are very poor and cannot even afford money to transport the sick to the district hospitals.
In gender, Cameroon Link has been able to organize and train women on gender sensitive approaches to development and self help initiatives and empowerment through the creation of COGECID Women Gender Councils. The gender councils begin women together to discuss women’s rights and work out strategies for the reduction of the spread of HIV in the community and through the centres counselling activities are undertaken to guide against stigmatization. As a member of IBFAN and WABA, its gender sensitization activities have also lead to greater support for breastfeeding mothers and their families with the promotion and protection of exclusive and effective breastfeeding practices as stipulated by, WHA, WHO and UNICEF regulations.
Yvonne Undergoes Induction
The first week of activities was actually an induction period. She was introduced to the activities of Cameroon Link and given a whole lot of documents to familiarize herself with what she came across as she move from one health area to the other. She was introduced to the relationship between HIV and Breastfeeding. James Achanyi-Fontem, CEO of Cameroon Link had just returned from a WABA policy orientation training and workshop in Malaysia. The information packs brought from WABA are very vital, and there is hope these would change the face of breastfeeding among mothers who are HIV positive.
It through these documents that Yvonne Bekeny learnt about the new scientific findings which reveal that exclusive breastfeeding could be done even by mothers who are HIV positive and there are enough recent statistics to show that babies born to HIV positive mothers would be healthier if breastfed exclusively than those who were not breastfed exclusively. During this period, Yvonne Bekeny joined and arranged campaigns to sensitize mothers to this effect with other Cameroon Link partner associations. She participated in working sessions on the rationale of western countries and multinational food processing companies, that insist on formula feeding as opposed to exclusive breastfeeding which in recent years has been encouraged by the WHO and UNICEF. Not only is exclusive breastfeeding healthy for the baby, it is the most practical feeding method for mothers in Africa. It is not only natural, but get the mothers to save money and prevent their babies from common diseases. Considering that an average African woman cannot afford three square meals a day for the whole family, considering the nutrients that breastmilk can offer to the baby, it is only natural that this should be encouraged worldwide and especially in Africa for nutritive, economic, health and other social reasons.
In Cameroon, statistics show that only 24 % of the population has access to pipe borne water and if mothers are to depend on formula feeding they need good water to go with it, yet a bulk of the population does not have access to portable water. We are therefore advocating that formula feeding be discouraged because it is not sustainability, affordable and regularly available.
For many years, the dilemma of HIV positive mothers breastfeeding has been an issue of debate and controversy, but recent research and studies have shown that breastfeeding is the safest option for mothers in developing countries because it is affordable and practical even when the mother is HIV positive.
We have therefore been educating mothers because what they need is the right information, education and counselling on the important and values of breastmilk. During field exercise, Yvonne Bekeny spoke with health practitioners and their major limitation was lack of proper education on the issues addressed, inadequate human resources and lack of capacity building possibilities, to enable them educate and counsel mothers on a daily basis. Despite these limitations, Cameroon Link is advocating that mothers should be able to decide and make informed choices based on their knowledge and updated resources at its centre. These efforts contribute in the reduction of malnutrition and infant mortality in Cameroon.
Social Mutual Health Insurance
From HIV and Breastfeeding to Social Mutual Health Insurance. Cameroon link together with its partner associations, NGO, FBO and CBO organized a training workshop for the initiation of a new community health insurance scheme, at its pilot phase in some ten communities in Cameroon. Yvonne was associated to the theoretical and practical phases of this initiative. This started with her joining in the training session with community health workers and traditional leaders. She later was involved with other in marketing the insurance scheme within the communities as a first step to constitute shareholders of the initiative for community ownership.
In view of the fact that health care in Cameroon can be very expensive and despite the government efforts to subsidize drugs, each hospital is autonomous and therefore determines the prices at which it offers health care. There is actually no price control mechanism. Therefore the Ministry of Health has decided to empower the local communities to stand up for their rights through this community health insurance scheme. Yvonne Bekeny expressed her delight in the resourcefulness of the training sessions.
Her third week was very much concerned with field work in the different community health centres. She visited three of the community health facilities and had working sessions with medics, health and social workers involved especially in the HIV/AIDS prevention service deliveries. The field surveys facilitate her appraisal of Cameroon Link interventions in the health facilities within the communities. The health centre in Bonendale was apparently deserted at the time of her visit and patients complained that the centre was too far from the residential areas.
Curiously, the Bonendale Health Centre is the biggest community health facility , though it was not actually serving the population as expected. A lot of social marketing is done to reverse the situation and get people attend for at least, the immunisation of their children. The other health centres are rather small outfit for health area target populations. In these centres, Yvonne observed the work spirit, interviewed patients and nurses to understand their challenges before making some recommendations on how they could apply for funding to expand their facilities and improve on the quality of services.
She also made recommendations on how future projects in the health areas could be improved, if there was proper planning that involves all stake holders through the participatory rural appraisal approach, participatory learning and action approach (PRA/PLA) or mechanisms put in place during the planning phase. The field exercise was very practical and exciting for Yvonne, because she actually applied my knowledge on project planning and management in some cases as an ‘evaluator’. This field work also gave her an opportunity to get into the HIV/AIDS registers and get more facts which were significant in making recommendations to the education sector after analyzing data from her research.