The poignant testimony of a man who narrowly escaped disaster by self-medicating to treat malaria shook the Baka community of Nkolbikon during an educational talk organised in the community.
Organised as part of the Equité Accès Palu (EAP) project, the meeting was held on Friday 13 September 2025, in partnership with the civil society organisation (CSO) ADES. Its aim was to raise awareness among local people about the risks of self-medication, a phenomenon that is still widespread in this community. During the discussions, the 18 participants, including 6 pregnant women, 4 childminders and 8 men, were educated about the dangers of treatments received without medical advice and what to do in case of malaria.

One of the highlights of the discussions was the account of a participant who shared his unfortunate experience. As both a perpetrator and victim of self-medication, he suffered from itching all over his body for two weeks, even thinking he had been cursed. Deeply affected by what he had learned, he solemnly pledged never to buy medicines on the street again and to go directly to the health centre from now on. This commitment reinforces the spirit of the EAP project, which aims to guarantee all communities, including the most vulnerable, equitable access to quality health services and products.
In short, the discussions enabled community members to better understand the dangers of self-medication and to realise the importance of seeking early treatment from the health system in the event of unusual symptoms.