Health

To curb spread of yellow fever, measles: Health ministry launches vaccination campaign in Centre Region.

File photo, baby being vaccinated

The Ministry of Public Health has initiated a seven-day vast immunisation campaign in five health districts in the Centre Region of the country, with the goal to reduce the spread of diseases like yellow fever, measles as well as throat and cervical cancer.
The campaign dubbed Big Catch-up kicked off on Monday, September 23.

It will simultaneously take place at the Mbalmayo, Mbankomo, Soa, Mfou and Yoko District Hospitals.

The first round of the campaign will run till September 29 and concerns children and adolescents between zero and five years as well as those between the nine- and fourteen-year age brackets.

According to the ministry, children in the Centre Region who fall within these ages and who have never been immunised or who have received partial doses of vaccines against viral infections like yellow fever, measles, throat and cervical cancer among others are called upon to meet up with this calendar.

The Ministry of Public Health disclosed that some individuals may have been unable to vaccinate either because of the poor access to health facilities, the lack of resources or even reticence on the part of some parents.

As a result, the Ministry of Public Health decided to give a second chance to those lagging behind to catch up as far as vaccination is concerned.

According to health specialists, this campaign will go a long way to protect children and young girls who may suffer to a greater extent the consequences of the aforementioned diseases.

The World Health Organisation, WHO in March this year reported that Cameroon was among 13 countries in the African Region that documented probable and confirmed cases of yellow fever between January 2023 and February 2024.

Cameroon is one of the 27 high-risk countries for yellow fever in Africa and was ranked second in 2023. Government has shown that it is committed to the fight against yellow fever.    

Cameroon introduced the yellow fever vaccine into its routine immunization schedule in 2004 and has conducted nationwide Preventive Mass Vaccination Campaigns.

Points of entry into the country, such as airports, require evidence of yellow fever vaccination, which are mandatory for all travellers. Despite these measures, yellow fever cases have been reported since 2020 in multiple districts.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post issue No:3240 of Wednesday September 25, 2024