Objective: This study aimed at examining the vulnerability of Central Africa to the Covid-19 pandemic. Methods: Demographic, health and socio-economic indicators were used to describe the vulnerability. Results: According to demographic indicators, populations appear younger than in Europe, Asia and North America, where evidence showed a higher lethality of Covid-19 and a higher frequency of hospitalization among the elderly. This highlights the protective effect of the age structure of the Central African populations. There is a significant vulnerability of their populations resulting from high morbidity and a considerable deficit in health care. Poverty indicators are not in their favour for a sustainable implementation of effective pandemic control measures. Very low literacy rates in some countries, misinformation and belief in conspiracy theory could affect the community involvement in the response. Several countries are weakened by other humanitarian crises, including; conflicts and other epidemics. The early easing in lockdown restrictions in certain countries could worsen the situation. Conclusion: This Sub-region, where the largest proportion of the population lives in poverty, poor sanitary conditions, conflicts and humanitarian crises, the questions of standards of prevention could appear to them as luxurious idea relegated to the background. Central African Countries need financial and logistic support for a sustainable effective response. These observations could be easily extrapolated to other Sub-Saharan sub-regions.

Introduction: Hemophilia is a constitutional defect in blood clotting related to a clotting factor deficiency. Its remains a major public health problem, mainly due to ignorance of the disease, limited screening capacities and access to treatment in sub-Saharan Africa and particularly in Cameroon. It causes heavy bleeding in the absence of adequate management. Few reports are available about the disease in countries with limited resources. This study assess the occurrence of hemophilia in the Western region of Cameroon and clinical aspects with the aim of raising public awareness of the disease. Methods: A cross-sectional and descriptive study was carried out over a period of 04 months in 5 departments of the Western region of Cameroon, in particular Mifi, Ndé, Bamboutos, Haut Nkam and Menoua. The individuals were selected in their houses on the basis of clinical arguments, i.e. bleeding from the gums, traumatic wounds, hematomas. The blood samples taken from the latter were analyzed in the hemostasis laboratory of the Regional Hospital of Bafoussam. The epidemiological characteristics of hemophiliacs identified and suspects hemophiliacs were analyzed. The results obtained were analysed using statistical software R version 4.1.1. Results: Out of 5995 people selected, 13 (0.22%) cases of hemophilia were identified, 09 confirmed cases and 04 new cases. The mean age of the patients was 14.85 years old (1.5-49). The disease was discovered mainly during circumcision in the months following birth (9/13, 69.23%), and by bleeding of the gums (9/13, 69.23%). Clinical signs were pain of the joints (46%), hematoma and swelling of the joints (38%). Platelets counts and prothrombin rate were normal in all. However, a prolonged Cephalin + Activator Time was found; it was corrected by supplying normal control plasma. Conclusion: Hemophilia is a pathology little known for the general public. For this, with the help of public authorithies, continuing education sessions must be set up to raise awareness among the population in order to limit the transmission of the disease and to eradicate this scourge which constitutes a real public health problem.

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Background: Allo-immunization is an immune response to foreign antigens after exposure to genetically different cells or tissues. Allo-immunized patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) appear to experience worse survival compared to non allo-immunized patients. Therefore, to contribute to the management of patients living with SCD and improve the blood transfusion process, we aimed to determine the frequency of allo-immunization in SCD's patients. To realize this study, we carry out a cross sectional study in one Hospital of Douala-Cameroon. Method: Plasma was prepared from collected blood sample, electrophoresis was done and depending on the migration on the gel; the type of electrophoresis was determine. Blood group ABO/Rh was done. After electrophoresis, depending on the result obtained those that was not homozygote (SS) and heterozygote sickle cell anemia (AS) was discarded. The check for irregular agglutinins was done using the indirect Coombs test. Clinical and biological characteristics of the different participants were studied and analyzed using a Statview statistical software. Result: We obtained 104 sickle cell patient, out of these we had 55% of positive RAI, with an average transfusion of 7.35. Also 83 patients were homozygote sickle cell anemia for a mean age of 15.75 years old (ranging from 1 to 52 years). The result obtained shows that the number of blood transfusion for homozygote sickle cell patient increases with age and that homozygote sickle cell patient received more blood transfusion than heterozygote patient. It can also be said that allo-immunization in these patients originate from the multiple blood transfusion received that were not fully compatible and that it affects more children (from 1 -15), they accounted for about 53.85% of the total population. Our result obtained implies that in the future, sickle cell patient will have difficulty in finding compatible blood for treatment and is a real problem since transfusion is the major standard of care for patient suffering from sickle cell anemia in Cameroon. The absence of treatment may lead to the death of the patient. To help reduced allo-immunization, extended compatibility test in all the red blood cell system and routinely screening for the presence of irregulars agglutinins may reduce the frequency of allo-immunization.