PSI/Cameroon

Association Camerounaise pour le Marketing Social (ACMS)


Program Focus:	HIV/AIDS, malaria, reproductive health, child survival

Target Regions:	Nationwide

Target Population:	High-risk, low-income populations both rural and urban, truckers and their partners, women, youth, adults having sex with youth, medical providers, mothers with young children.

2006 Estimated Health Impact:	Unintended pregnancies averted: 120,000 (explained) Episodes of malaria averted: 93,000 (explained)

Products and Services:	*Sur'Eau/Waterguard* safe water solution since 2006 Super Moustiquaire insecticide treated mosquito net (ITN) since 2004 Bloc ITN retreatment since 2004 ProFam health clinic franchise in Yaounde since 2003 Protectiv female condoms since 2002 100% Jeune Le Journal monthly youth newspaper since 2001 (French) and 2002 (English) Depo Provera injectable contraceptives since 2000 Orasel oral rehydration salts since 1998 Novelle Duo oral contraceptives since 1995 *Novelle* oral contraceptives since 1994 *Biosel* oral rehydration salts since 1994, rebranded as Orasel in 1998 *Prudence Plus* condoms since 1989

Local Collaboration:	Ministry of Public Health, GTZ, DED (German development service), the Swiss Tropical Institute, CARE Cameroon, Helen Keller International, Plan Cameroon, U.S. Centers for Disease Control, WHO, World Food Program, UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF and numerous other local institutions.

Current Donors:	Canadian International Development Agency through CARE Cameroon The ExxonMobil Foundation The Federal Republic of Germany through KfW Entwicklungsbank (the German development bank) Private anonymous donors U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) through Plan Cameroon and AWARE-HIV The Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria The Winslow Foundation The World Swim for Malaria Foundation

Year Program Began:	1989

Project Activities and Highlights

HIV/AIDS
•	Youth Education ACMS's adolescent reproductive health campaign encourages preventative behaviors among 15 to 24 year old youth. Branded "100% Jeune," all activities are designed to provide models for positive behavior. Ongoing activities include weekly call-in youth radio shows with discussions on reproductive health topics and popular music. In 2007, ACMS plans to work with rural radio networks to franchise the radio show, providing content and expanding the reach of our messages to rural areas. A monthly magazine, 100% Jeune Le Journal is the second most widely read publication in the country. The Central African Republic began contributing content to the French edition in 2005, making 100% Jeune the first youth-produced international publication in the central african sub region. In 2006, the 100% Jeune radio and journal teams stimulated the creation of "100% Reglo" clubs in schools and with out-of-school youth groups. These autonomous clubs are networked and benefit from periodic trainings in reproductive health issues and a discussion guide concerning the monthly theme to facilitate their volunteer work.
•	Fight against Cross Generational Sex In 2005, 100% Jeune piloted a small project that took on social norms that have made cross-generational sex (sex between adults over age 30 and youth at least 10 years younger or under age 24) common practice. The campaign, entitled "No to sugar daddies, no to AIDS," was highly successful in generating social commentary and in helping mobilize faith-based organizations to contribute systematically to the fight against AIDS. In 2007, a second phase of the project, focusing on intensive interpersonal communication, will be conducted in Bamenda.
•	Condom Use Research among high risk groups demonstrates a huge gap between perceived knowledge and ability to demonstrate correct condom use. To rectify this, an integrated mass-media and on-the-ground campaign, entitled "Pincez Deroulez" (Pinch and Unroll) was conducted to educate high risk groups on correct condom use and to promote the sharing of this knowledge as a civic responsibility. This highly popular campaign led to a >20% change in correct use by high risk groups as demonstrated on a wooden model. In 2007, a second phase of the campaign, will specifically target women who find it difficult to negotiate condom use and are at highest risk of HIV infection.
•	Social marketing ACMS efforts to extend its sales network to rural areas, combined with the Pincez Deroulez campaign, resulted in a 20% increase in sales, from 2005-2006. Particular emphasis has been placed on improving the autonomous re-supply from wholesalers. In 2007, ACMS will be working with the national health information system to monitor the geographic availability of condoms and will focus field work and the establishment of strategic partnerships in areas where coverage is most in need of attention.
	back to top
Malaria
•	Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) ACMS has a mandate to provide for the distribution of ITNs through the private sector to reach those not covered by the Ministry of Health's free distribution campaigns. A 2006 project provides women of child bearing age with a coupon representing a 60% subsidy for the purchase of a net in a Mobil gas station in the main cities of Yaounde and Douala. In early 2007, ACMS received 10,000 long lasting nets from the World Swim for Malaria Foundation and distributed them to children under 5 during the measles and malaria campaign conducted in the Batouri health district in the East province. In 2007, ACMS will introduce long lasting nets and will focus on institutional sales while continuing to seek funding to subsidize nets for the general public.
	back to top
Reproductive Health
•	Family Planning ProFam is a health service delivery franchise composed of 25 private health clinics in Yaounde, the capitol of Cameroon, launched in 2004. The project's goal is to improve private health service delivery through training and supervision and to integrate new services, such as family planning, into the clinics' existing offering of services. In 2006, the network provided over 2000 family planning consultations. Two trained medical detailers work with more than 400 pharmacies and private sector clinics outside the ProFam network to enable the private sector to provide high quality affordable access to contraceptives.
	back to top
Child Survival
•	Safe Water ACMS distributes ORS, under the well known brand Orasel. Oral rehydration therapy is promoted in general, as well as a specific immediate first response measure for cholera. In 2005, effort was given to improving access to ORS in rural areas, resulting in a 42% increase in monthly sales. A home chlorination solution, designed to provide safe drinking water where access to potable water is difficult, will be launched in 2006 under the bilingual brand Sur'Eau/Watergard.
•	Child Survival Expanded Impact Program ACMS is working with partners on a Child Survival Expanded Impact Program (CSEIP). The project focuses on improving the Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI) at clinic and community levels. ACMS's role is to strengthen the community mobilization component, assisting partners in the promotion of health prevention messages and behaviors. ACMS will ensure sustainable community level distribution of ITNs, ORS, and the safe water system (see above). In addition, the ProFam network of 25 private sector clinics supervised by ACMS, participated in IMCI training in early 2007 to improve the quality of pediatric care. This is the first time private sector nondenominational clinics have been invited to this training, usually reserved for health centers working in the public sector system.
	back to top

	Back to Where We Work

BLOC, "La Force de Votre Moustiquaire" (The Strength of Your Mosquito Net). Photo courtesy of ExxonMobil Africa Health Initiative.

"Remaining quiet, letting it happen, is to be complicit. No to sugar daddies, no to AIDS." This poster admonishes parents for encouraging the practice of
cross-generational sex.

Publications

• PDF 429K
AIDSMark Regional Lessons Learned: West and Central Africa

• PDF 241K
The Sugar Daddy Syndrome: African Campaigns Battle Ingrained Phenomenon

• PDF 132K
Research Brief: Cameroon Youth Program Stimulates Healthy Behavior

• PDF 947K
Sexually Transmitted Infections in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Use and Effectiveness of Treatment Kits; also available en français (PDF 901K)

• Search PSI's research for studies on Cameroon

• Contact Info

BLOC, "La Force de Votre Moustiquaire" (The Strength of Your Mosquito Net). Photo courtesy of ExxonMobil Africa Health Initiative.

"Remaining quiet, letting it happen, is to be complicit. No to sugar daddies, no to AIDS." This poster admonishes parents for encouraging the practice of cross-generational sex.

"Remaining quiet, letting it happen, is to be complicit. No to sugar daddies, no to AIDS." This poster admonishes parents for encouraging the practice of
cross-generational sex.