Donors intensify Polio eradication measures

A three-day workshop to train micro plan facilitators in curbing the disease began in Yaounde on May 5, 2014. Statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO) indicate that Cameroon is an epidemic zone to polio. Information further indicates that since October 2013, when seven new cases of polio virus were registered in the country six different national polio campaigns have been organised.

However the WHO Country Representative, Dr Charlotte Faty Ndiaye yesterday May 5, in Yaounde stressed that in spite of efforts made to curb the spread of polio in Cameroon, the results of campaigns are not encouraging.

The number of children that are not vaccinated against the disease is more than five per cent. Drawing lessons from the international health chart, Dr Charlotte Ndiaye noted that Cameroon is in a risky zone to the polio virus, reason why efforts to curb the epidemic must be reinforced. That is why partners and facilitators from the ten regions of the country involved in the fight against polio in Cameroon are currently meeting in Yaounde to brainstorm on ways to correct the lapses in polio campaigns in a bid to completely eradicate the virus.

During the meeting it was disclosed that an external review missions carried out by actors underscored that Cameroon should put in more efforts to vaccinate children that are missing out of the vaccination train. According to the Country Representative of WHO, some children are not vaccinated during campaigns because vaccination teams do not know how to reach such children, who might be in train stations, market places or farmlands.

During the current meeting, facilitators will be trained on a micro plan which will be used at the district level to trace missing children. With the huge sums of money put in by partners to come up with the micro plan, the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Health, Alim Hayatou said he is confident that Cameroon will be well armed to combat poliomyelitis during the next campaign which will be done sometime this month.

By Brenda Y. Nchwenang-Ngassa