Background: There has been a progressive increase in hypertension among children and adolescents over the years. Hypertension in childhood is influenced by various risk factors including; childhood obesity, lifestyle and hereditary factors. This study is aimed at assessing the prevalence of hypertension and elevated blood pressure (BP); as well as the associated factors to hypertension among primary school children in a rural setting in the, Centre Region of Cameroon.Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out from November 2017 to May 2018 in 13 primary schools in Mbankomo subdivision. A two staged cluster sampling technique was used to select participants: the first stage we conveniently selected 13 out of 71 (18%) primary schools in the study area by probability proportionate to size since the subdivision does not have an equal number of primary schools in the rural and semi-urban areas. In the second stage, we also used probability proportional to size to randomly select participants from the 13 clusters because the classes did not have equal number of students. We randomly selected 13% pupils enrolled in each class of the 13 schools. BP and anthropometric measurements were taken, together with socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle and past history. Results:The overall prevalence of hypertension among the 822 pupils sampled was 1.6% (with 1.5% in stage I and 0.1% in stage II) and that of elevated BP was 8.1%, with a systolic predominance of 1.6%. SBP and DBP had a significant positive correlation with age (r=0.17; P=0.000 and r=0.07; P=0.000 respectively) and BMI (r=0.18; P=0.000 and r=0.11; P=0.000 respectively). The associated risk factors for hypertension were: the pupil's age >10 years (95% CI: 1.2581-33.1841; P=0.0254), family history of overweight (95% CI:1.6906-32.9401; P=0.008), and excess weight (95% CI: 2.5094-40.7063; P=0.0011), and being born at term (P=0.0004) as a protecting factor.Conclusions: This study revealed a high prevalence of hypertension among primary school children in rural areas, with a number of preventable risk factors. Considering the risk factors found, children should be educated on proper nutrition, and the need for physical exercises at home and in school to avoid overweight and obesity.

Background: At the beginning of March 2020, Cameroon experienced its first cases of infection with the new coronavirus (SARS-COV-2). Very quickly, there was a drop in the rate of hospital attendance. The purpose of this study was to observe the variations in the uptake of pediatric consultations and vaccinations in a pediatric hospital. Methods: A descriptive and retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out using consultation and vaccination statistics from a pediatric hospital in the city of Yaoundé, political capital of Cameroon, from January 2016 to May 2020. Data were entered in Microsoft Excel and exported to R software (Version 3.3.3) for statistical analysis. First, time series raw data (before and after COVID-19) were plotted and the trend estimated by locally weighted scatterplot smoothing (LOWESS) methods. Then a classic seasonal decomposition was performed to distinguish between seasonal trends and irregular components using moving averages. The Webel–Ollech overall seasonality test (WO test) was also run to formally check for seasonality. The results of the study are presented as narrative tables and graphs. Results: Following the partial confinement recommended by the government of Cameroon, the number of pediatric consultations decreased by 52% in April and by 34% in May 2020 compared with rates during the same periods in 2019 ( p = 0.00001). For antenatal visits, the rates dropped by 45% and 34%, respectively, in April and May 2020 compared with 2019. The demand for immunization services also declined. As a result, the demand for BCG vaccines, third-dose tracer vaccines (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis), polio, and MMR in children as well as tetanus vaccines in childbearing women dropped significantly. Conclusion: The start of the COVID-19 pandemic was accompanied by a significant drop in consultation and vaccination activities. If no action is taken to correct this phenomenon, the ensuing months could be marked by a considerable increase in patients, sometimes suffering from vaccine-preventable diseases. The death rate could increase considerably in the pediatric population.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic reached Cameroon in March, 2020. The aim of this study was to unveil the consequences of this pandemic on hospitalizations and on mortality in a pediatric hospital. Methods: A descriptive and retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out using hospitalization and death statistics collected from a pediatric hospital. We compared the data before and after the pandemic and made predictions for the next 12 months. Results: A drastic drop in hospitalizations was noted coinciding with the partial lockdown in Cameroon. Paradoxically, at the same time, the number of deaths per month doubled though the causes remained the same as in the past. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic was marked by drop in hospitalizations and paradoxically, an increase in child mortality. These deaths were probably due not to SARS-Cov-2 infection, but rather due to the usual illnesses whose management was delayed, a probable consequence of the confinement.