UNICEF offers gov’t equipment to boost immunisation nationwide.

The gifts were handed over to the Minister of Public Health, Dr Manaouda Malachie, by the UNICEF Cameroon Representative, Nadine Perrault. This was during a ceremony in Yaounde on July 4.

On the occasion, government received 14 refrigerated pick-ups with a space of five cubic metres from UNICEF. 

The package also included 227 motorcycles to help transport vaccines from district depots to health facilities, one dry truck used to secure transportation of injection material from the central warehouse in Yaounde to the 10 regional depots. 

UNICEF also handed four vehicles to ensure coordination at regional and health district level and six latest generation cold rooms for the central and regional warehouses. 

The 14 refrigerated pick-ups were handed over to coordinators of the Expanded Program on Immunisation, EPI, from the 10 regions and to the central services. They are expected to serve some 203 health districts.

The equipment, according to officials, are of vital importance in helping Cameroon improve the storage and transport of vaccines and other inputs at all levels.

The donation was supported by other state partners such as GAVI, CDS3, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UPS Foundation. UNICEF is acting as the implementing partner of the project.

Speaking during the ceremony organised to hand over the equipment to government, UNICEF Cameroon Coordinator said, with the equipment many more children will be vaccinated

“The equipment we have acquired will make vaccines more readily available in health districts, and they can even be delivered to communities by motorcycle. It’s a whole chain that will enable every child in Cameroon to be vaccinated and to develop fully. These vaccines will save lives,” Perrault said. 

According to Dr Manaouda, the truck will be of great help when it comes to vaccine distribution while the motorcycles will act as relays between the health districts and the health facilities.

The Minister of Public Health has urged the EPI coordinators and all those in the vaccination chain to support government’s commitment to immunisation, underlining the determination of the Head of State to ensure quality health care for the population.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue No:3162 of Monday July 8, 2024