Yellow fever vaccination resumes in South West

Health teams have been deployed in 14 districts after two cases were discovered in Tiko and Fontem.

The South West Regional Delegation of Public Health has embarked on a five-day yellow fever campaign. The delegation is sending out teams to do an outreach vaccination in some 14 districts in the South West and West regions.

In March and July, two cases of yellow fever patients were discovered in Fontem and Tiko, respectively.

The case of Tiko was discovered in 2009. A vaccination campaign was thereafter organised in Buea, Kumba and Muyuka.

The current campaign involves towns and villages of the zones which had not been vaccinated like in Wabane, Mbonge, Nguti and Manyu, among other zones.

The Medical Officer in charge of epidemics in the South West region, Dr Atembeh Bedifeh said a person is affected by yellow fever when he is bitten by the Tiger Mosquito which is carrying the parasite. Within three to six days, he said, the symptoms start showing.

The victim, he said, may suffer from fatigue, fever, and headache. The symptoms manifest like malaria and since the virus has no cure at this point, they do symptomatic treatment.

“But when a sign like vomiting, yellow palms and yellow conjunctiva starts showing, it means the kidneys have been affected and the case is acute and so most of these patients end up dying. But if a patient recovers and none of his vital organs are affected, he becomes naturally immune for life,” explained Dr Atembeh to CT.

Dr Atembeh said everybody aged above 9 months old will be vaccinated, except pregnant women, people with allergies and severe illnesses. The vaccine, he insisted, gives immunity for life once vaccinated.

Concerning the campaign, the medic disclosed that it is not be a door-to-door operation like in the case of polio, but an outreach exercise, meaning there will be fixed posts and the population has to go towards the health workers.

He said he hopes about 92 per cent of the population will be vaccinated. As for the two cases, he said they have recovered but are still under surveillance.