The Cameroon Dispatch

The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF says a recent study has revealed adolescents are dying of aids at alarming rates despite the fact that Prevent Mother-To-Child Transmission programmes have prevented some 1.6 million new HIV infections in children, globally, while the provision of anti-retroviral treatment has saved 8.8 million lives (people of all ages) since 2000. In a release issued on the side lines of the 21 st International AIDS Conference taking place in Durban, South Africa, UNICEF says the numbers of AIDS-related deaths among adolescents 15-19 years have more than doubled since 2000. Last year, there were on average, 29 new infections an hour among those in this age group worldwide, according to the release. While rates of new infections among adolescents have levelled off, UNICEF is concerned that projected increases in their population in the coming years will mean an increase in the overall number of infections. Anthony Lake, UNICEF Executive Direct...

Flavien Kouatcha checks his mail daily, hoping to see a response to the adverts he has posted online to find customers. He is the founder of Save Our Agriculture, an agro-business startup in Cameroon’s economic capital Douala. Kouatcha produces acquaponic kits which enable farmers to grow crops and rear fish in the same water, thereby saving space and water. "Our customers are few because we are targeting small farmers in rural areas where the Internet connectivity has remained a problem. But we are hoping things will change in the near future," Kouatcha told ChinAfrica. Cameroon is referred to as the breadbasket of the Central African sub-region because of its large food exports to countries in the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS). Kouatcha is hoping to sell his products in this large market. Kwajika Roland, whose graphic design startup Duracana is almost 18 months old, also thinks his company would be more profitable if Cameroon had a vibrant ...