A free vaccination campaign against poliomyelitis took place in Yaounde July 21 to 23, 2017.

Despite the numerous free Polio Vaccination Campaigns the Government of Cameroon has been  carrying out in the country, some parents are still resistant in letting their children be vaccinated stating that the repeated vaccination of polio to their children may be dangerous to their health. To this effect, a campaign against Poliomyelitis took place at the Nkoldongo District Hospital from July 21 to 23 2017, to ensure effective information, education and communication with parents on the significance of the polio vaccine, and also to vaccinate children against poliomyelitis throughout the district. Coupled with this were the Mother and Child Nutrition Action Week. The ceremony was chaired by the representative of the Governor of the Centre Region, Inspector in charge of Decentralised Technical Services at the Governor’s office, Leonard Mani.

Speaking during the launching of the National Immunisation Day against Polio coupled with the Mother and Child Nutrition Week, Leonard Mani said it is the Government’s desire to provide the Cameroonian population with quality health service reason why several campaign against polio are carried out yearly to reinforce the collective immunity of the population of the National Days of Vaccination organised in the ten regions in order to keep the country free from Polio and to eradicate definitively this disease.

Centre Regional Delegate for Public Health, Dr. Charlotte Moussi said the first edition of the Health and Infant and Nutrition Week (SASNIM), 2017 interventions plans are aimed at reinforcing the actions carried out so far and the rise of health indicators. These interventions consist in the administration of vitamin A to all children aged one to five years, de-worming of all children aged 6 months to 5 years, administration of the Polio Oral Vaccine to all children aged 0 to 11 months, the administration of Intermittent Preventive Treatment to all pregnant women from the fourth month of pregnancy, distribution of Impregnated Long-lasting Nets (LLINs) to all pregnant women, and the administration of vitamin A to all women in immediate Post Partum. Dr. Moussi said this is in order to contribute to the reduction of infant and maternal morbidity and mortality rate.