THE CONTRIBUTION OF EXISTING HEALTH FACILITIES TO THE CONTROL OF URINARY SCHISTOSOMIASIS IN NOT-THEM CAMEROON

This paper attempts to analyse the impact of the regular functioning o f existing health services on the control of urinary schistosomiasis i n two villages in northern Cameroon. The health centres' diagnostic sy stems selectively recognise heavy infections. The efficacy of reaching and subsequently treating heavily infected subjects, however, is low. No more than around 5% of the heavily infected subjects in the health centres' catchments areas is reached on an annual basis. Further anal ysis shows that the percentage of infected and heavily infected subjec ts is not higher among the visitors of the health centre than in the i nhabitants of the villages involved. Heavy infection is not a reason t o visit the health centre, in these villages. To increase the role of the existing health structure in coping with Schistosoma haematobium i nfections, the diagnostic system, used in the health centres, could be improved by a standardized inclusion of laboratory examination of cli nically suspected individuals. Simultaneously, the awareness of the in fected population to respond to infection by visiting the health centr e needs further development.