Cameroon Acute Malnutrition Snapshot 2023-2024

CAMEROON: Acute Malnutrition Snapshot l November 2023 - October 2024
Overview
Approximately 400,000 children aged 6 to 59 months in parts of Cameroon are suering
or expected to suer from acute malnutrition through much of 2024, including nearly
147,000 cases of severe malnutrition and 248,000 cases of moderate malnutrition. The
rst IPC Acute Malnutrition (AMN) analysis covered 45 areas, spanning 32 departments
(Adamaoua, east, far north, north, northwest and southwest) four regions (centre, Littoral,
west and south), four convergence municipalities (Djohong and Meiganga in Adamaoua;
and Mandjou and Garoua-Boulaï in the east), and ve refugee sites hosting refugees
from the Central African Republic. Additionally, over 12,000 pregnant and breastfeeding
women are suering or expected to suer from acute malnutrition during the same period.
In the current period – from November 2023 to February 2024 – two areas are classied
in Critical (IPC AMN Phase 4), two are classied in Serious (IPC AMN Phase 3), 19 areas
are classied in Alert (IPC AMN Phase 2), and 23 in Acceptable (IPC AMN Phase 1).
The outlook for March to June 2024 projects a likely signicant deterioration, with
three departments expected to shift from Phase 1 to Phase 2 and four from Phase
2 to Phase 3. The remaining 39 areas are expected to maintain the same phases as
the current period: 20 in Phase 1, 15 in Phase 2, two in Phase 3, and two in Phase 4.
The nutrition situation is projected to worsen in the second projected period
(July to October 2024), driven by seasonal factors with no area anticipated to
show improvement. Six departments are projected to further deteriorate from
Phase 1 to Phase 2 and three areas from Phase 2 to Phase 3 during this period.
Internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees in Meiganga and Kadei are
currently classied in IPC AMN Phase 4 and IPC AMN Phase 3 respectively, in all
periods. Refugees in Mayo-Rey face the most severe AMN situation, transitioning
from Phase 2 to Phase 3 in the second projection. Meanwhile, Logone, Chai,
Mayo-Sava, Mayo-Tsanaga, and Mayo-Banyo may worsen from Phase 2 to Phase
3 during the rst projection, remaining stable until the second projection.
Acute Malnutrition | November 2023 - October 2024
394,077
The number of 6-59
months children acutely
malnourished
12,112
Number of pregnant or
breastfeeding women
acutely malnourished
Contributing Factors for Acute Malnutrition
Recommended Actions
IPC AMN Analysis Partners:
Published on 16 April 2024
Current Acute Malnutrition l Nov 2023 - Feb 2024 Projected Acute Malnutrition l Mar - Jun 2024 Projected Acute Malnutrition l Jul - Oct 2024
High food prices
Food prices increased by
12.8 percent in 2023,
considerably impacting the
capacity of 40 percent of
households to produce or buy
food.
Conict and insecurity
The security situation in the
northwest, north and southwest
regions has led to a signicant
increase in the rate of IDPs and the
intensication of IDPs and refugees
from the Central African Republic
and Nigeria has negatively aected
social services in border areas.
Lack of balanced diet
Poor complementary feeding
practices, with only 16 percent of
children meeting the minimum
acceptable dietary intake.
Diseases
Diseases with epidemic
potential such as measles,
cholera, Acute Respiratory
Infections (ARI), and diarrhea
aect all regions of the
country.
Poor water, sanitation & hygiene
WASH practices are not suciently
implemented, and the practice
of open defecation continues to
be worrying in rural areas despite
improvements in access to
improved latrines at the national
level.
Nutrition response
Carry out a rapid nutritional
assessment in areas of limited
access and strengthen
interventions for the prevention
and management of AMN
including community screening,
community care of MAM cases,
and education programs on
infant and young child feeding
Preventative activities
Strengthen preventative activities
such as routine EPI vaccination,
vitamin A, iron and folic acid
supplementation and deworming
of children. Involve other sectors
to combat malnutrition at the
operational level, e.g., livestock
breeding, agriculture, protection,
women and family, etc.
Surveillance of childhood
diseases
Strengthen surveillance of
childhood diseases such as
malaria, measles, cholera diarrhea
and acute respiratory infections.
Communication for
social change
Strengthen communication
for social change around the
promotion of good infant
and young child feeding
practices.
Improve access to water,
sanitation, and hygiene
Improve access to sanitation
facilities and better water sources
and intensify awareness of good
hygiene and sanitation practices
(use of latrines, hand washing, no
open defecation).
Publication date: 16 April 2024. The information shown on this map does not imply ocial recognition or endorsement of any
physical and political boundaries.
3%
5.1M
population
analysed
5%
Moderate Acute
Malnutrition (MAM)
Severe Acute
Malnutrition (SAM)
No Malnutrition
92%
KEY FOR THE MAP
IPC Acute Malnutrition
Phase Classication
Map Symbols
Evidence level:
Acceptable
Medium
High
Scarce evidence due to limited or
no humanitarian access
IDPs/other settlements
classication
Urban settlement classication
1 - Acceptable
2 - Alert
3 - Serious
4 - Critical
5 - Extremely critical
Phase classication
based on MUAC
Areas with inadequate evidence
Areas not analysed
*
**
***
KEY FOR THE MAP
IPC Acute Malnutrition
Phase Classication
Map Symbols
Evidence level:
Acceptable
Medium
High
Scarce evidence due to limited or
no humanitarian access
IDPs/other settlements
classication
Urban settlement classication
1 - Acceptable
2 - Alert
3 - Serious
4 - Critical
5 - Extremely critical
Phase classication
based on MUAC
Areas with inadequate evidence
Areas not analysed
*
**
***
KEY FOR THE MAP
IPC Acute Malnutrition
Phase Classication
Map Symbols
Evidence level:
Acceptable
Medium
High
Scarce evidence due to limited or
no humanitarian access
IDPs/other settlements
classication
Urban settlement classication
1 - Acceptable
2 - Alert
3 - Serious
4 - Critical
5 - Extremely critical
Phase classication
based on MUAC
Areas with inadequate evidence
Areas not analysed
*
**
***
KEY FOR THE MAP
IPC Acute Malnutrition
Phase Classication
Map Symbols
Evidence level:
Acceptable
Medium
High
Scarce evidence due to limited or
no humanitarian access
IDPs/other settlements
classication
Urban settlement classication
1 - Acceptable
2 - Alert
3 - Serious
4 - Critical
5 - Extremely critical
Phase classication
based on MUAC
Areas with inadequate evidence
Areas not analysed
*
**
***
KEY FOR THE MAP
IPC Acute Malnutrition
Phase Classication
Map Symbols
Evidence level:
Acceptable
Medium
High
Scarce evidence due to limited or
no humanitarian access
IDPs/other settlements
classication
Urban settlement classication
1 - Acceptable
2 - Alert
3 - Serious
4 - Critical
5 - Extremely critical
Phase classication
based on MUAC
Areas with inadequate evidence
Areas not analysed
*
**
***