CAMPHIA 2024 Launched: CAMPHIA is an opportunity for Cameroon households
From August 2024 to February 2025, the Government of Cameroon through its Ministry of Public Health, is leading the implementation of the data collection phase of the second Cameroon Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (CAMPHIA) survey dubbed CAMPHIA 2024. This significant national survey aims to assess the impact of HIV on the Cameroonian population, involving over fifteen thousand randomly selected households across the country. By offering HIV free testing services to the targeted households, CAMPHIA 2024 promises to update crucial HIV-related indicators.
The official launch of the survey took place August 1, 2024 at Hilton Hotel Yaounde, presided over by the Cameroon Minister of Public Health Dr. Malachie Manaouda. The Minister took off time to explain in detail to all stakeholders in the fight against HIV the importance of CAMPHIA to HIV epidemic control in Cameroon. “What we have to understand about this CAMPHIA 2024 survey launched today is that we had a first survey in 2017 which helped us take informed decisions and adapted our responses to the situation on the field which permitted us achieve results. Regarding the UNAIDS three 95s, we are above average and today our response rate stands at 98% of people living with HIV who already know their status, of the 98%, at least 94% are on treatment, and of the 94%, 96% have suppressed viral loads. This means 9 on 10 people today living with HIV would not transmit the virus because of suppressed viral loads. This shows we are achieving results. This justifies the reason why we continue to carry out this survey, and also because it is important to better target our field responses and get better data in order to take better decisions. So, CAMPHIA 2024 will permit us have data from the field on prevalence, those on treatment, viral load suppression, and the entire HIV response carried out so far in our country. Results will permit us finetune our response and to rapidly progress in better decision making for HIV response in Cameroon”.
The Minister took off time to thank the American Government, a partner that has always been with Cameroon in the fight against HIV. “We officially thank the American Government and the families that will receive and give information to the researchers because the quality of response will affect the adjustments made in HIV response in our country.
The statistical data collected from the CAMPHIA 2024 survey will serve two primary purposes. Firstly, it will allow Cameroon to gauge its progress in combating HIV relative to the Sustainable Development Goal three [Good Health and Well-being] and the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets. Secondly, the results will enable the government to refine its HIV prevention, care, and treatment policies, ensuring they are more effective and targeted.
The data collection phase represents a civic duty for the entire Cameroonian population, particularly for households selected for participation. Their cooperation is vital for the success of the initiative, which offers several tangible benefits. The Minister used the opportunity to launch a call to action for all selected households “I want to cite the importance of this survey to say that, the data will be secure. You should not be worried about the protection of your information because measures have been put in place to ensure that this data becomes the property of the Cameroon Government and will be well secured at the Ministry of Public Health with the assistance of the National Institute of Statistics (NIS). Accept to participate in this survey, welcome our researchers into your homes, so that all will go well and that our country can rapidly eradicate the virus”. “We are on the verge of eliminating HIV by 2030, so give us the opportunity to make this effective in our country.”, the Minister concluded.
The US Ambassador to Cameroon Christopher J. Lamora on his part observed the extreme importance of CAMPHIA. The purpose of the CAMPHIA 2004 survey which follows that of 2017/2018 is to know “where Cameroon is in the fight against HIV. Cameroon is on the leading edge in Central and West Africa”. He noted that Cameroon has attained high percentages as it strives to attain the UNAIDS HIV targets. “But we cannot rest on those laurels”, he emphasized.
The Ambassador stressed that collaborating with Cameroon to attain positive outcomes has been the priority of the US Government for decades. “Partnerships with Government agencies, NGOs, the private sector, and civil society span all 10 regions of Cameroon. There have been remarkable strides in combatting HIV and AIDS in Cameroon.” He confirmed that Cameroon is on track to attain epidemic control by 2030, but that there is still work to be done. He called for the maintenance of momentum from all stakeholders to substantiate efforts through a robust data.
During the survey, a team of Public Health Experts made up of trained counselors, interviewers and field laboratory technicians will visit households to collect gold-standard information through the administration of questionnaires. CAMPHIA survey will target household members aged 15 and above and collect blood samples for HIV testing. Participants will receive valuable information on HIV prevention, transmission and viral load suppression. The process is convenient, with samples collected confidentially and free of charge at the comfort of the participants’ homes, saving both time and money. Results will be provided on the spot, and individuals testing positive with HIV during the survey, will be informed after counselling and will undergo further testing to determine their viral load such that the viral load results will then be shared with a health facility of their choice, with their consent, for linkage to appropriate care purposes.
The first CAMPHIA survey, conducted in 2017, was instrumental in shaping Cameroon’s HIV response strategies. It provided critical data that informed the government’s policies and actions. It also guided the U.S. Government’s investments in Cameroon, leading to a rapid expansion of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) support from four to all ten regions of the country and a significant increase in financial resources to address HIV.
This survey is led by the Government of Cameroon through the Ministry of Public Health (MOH) with the involvement of its key entities such as the Division of Operational Research (DROS), National AIDS Control Committee (NACC), the Department of Disease Control, Epidemics and Pandemics (DLMEP), the Department of Pharmacy, Medicines and Laboratory (DPML) and the National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) in collaboration with the National Institute of Statistics (NIS) and will be co-implemented by the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Board (CBCHB), and ICAP at Columbia University with technical assistance through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The Principal Investigator (PI) institutions include the Ministry of Public Health, United States (US) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Board (CBCHB), National Institute for Statistics (NIS) and ICAP. It is worthy to note that, the main principal investigating institution that is responsible for the ethically-approved protocol is the Department of Operational Research (DROS) of the Ministry of Public Health of Cameroon. Other stakeholders include non-governmental partners involved in HIV prevention, care, and treatment, other donors, and the population of men and women living with HIV in Cameroon.
After completion of the survey, findings will be communicated to key stakeholders, and information used to inform programmatic improvements to close gaps identified. CAMPHIA 2024 represents a pivotal opportunity for Cameroon to strengthen its health systems and enhance its HIV response. By participating in this survey, households will not only contribute to a national cause but also gain access to vital HIV health services and information. The collective effort will drive Cameroon closer to its goal of controlling and ultimately eliminating HIV as a public health threat, securing a healthier future for all its citizens.
