Nationwide polio vaccination campaign phase two underway.

According to stakeholders, the crucial initiative will not only focus on polio eradication, but will also integrate a comprehensive package of high-impact interventions aimed at significantly reducing morbidity and mortality among women and children across the nation.

The second round distinguishes itself by offering a synchronised campaign that extends beyond polio vaccination. While the polio vaccine targets children aged 0-5 years, the campaign will also include Vitamin A supplementation for children between 12 and 59 months. 

Additionally, Intermittent Preventive Treatment, IPT, for malaria will be administered to pregnant women from their 13th week of pregnancy.

The Centre Regional Coordinator of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation, EPI, Dr Brice Edzoa, underscored the importance of these integrated interventions during the media briefing. 

He clarified that children aged 6-11 months will continue to receive Vitamin A supplementation through the routine vaccination programme, while pregnant women will receive IPT for malaria during the campaign period.

Addressing concerns regarding repeated vaccinations, Dr Edzoa emphasised that there is no danger in a child receiving multiple doses of the polio vaccine. 

"On the contrary, the more the child is vaccinated, the better they are protected," he stated. 

He further stressed that "in the event of an epidemic, it is recommended to vaccinate children during each campaign, regardless of their vaccination status".

The continued emphasis on polio vaccination is critical, given the recent outbreaks of variant poliovirus in neighbouring countries such as Nigeria, Chad, and the Central African Republic, with which Cameroon shares borders. The proximity of these epidemics elevates the risk of transmission, making ongoing vaccination efforts paramount.

According to the vaccination team, the inclusion of Vitamin A supplementation is a proactive measure to combat Vitamin A deficiency, which can impair eyesight, weaken the immune system, and increase susceptibility to life-threatening diseases. 

Campaign officials explained that since the body exhausts an administered dose of Vitamin A after six months, it must be renewed to prevent deficiency. This explains the targeted administration of Vitamin A to children aged 12 to 59 months during the campaign.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3457 of Tuesday May 27, 2025