Visionary Reports

This was during a meeting in Douala on Friday May 23.

In a bid to combat the polio epidemic in Cameroon, media professionals and digital social mobilizers have been mobilized to play a crucial role in raising awareness about the disease and the upcoming vaccination campaign. The second round of national immunization days, scheduled from May 29 to June 1, 2025, will feature the administration of oral polio vaccine to children aged 0 to 59 months, vitamin A supplementation, and intermittent preventive treatment against malaria for pregnant women.According to Léonard Ewane, Regional Coordinator of the Expanded Vaccination Program (PEV) for the Littoral region, the campaign aims to inform at least 95% of parents before the vaccination teams arrive. “This is a campaign that will take place in fixed posts in health facilities, in temporary fixed posts in communities… it can be in chiefdoms, churches, markets, schools and other gathering places,” he explained.

The polio epidemic in Cameroon was triggered by new cases of variant poliovirus detected in the health districts of Deido, Kousseri, and Vélé. Despite the country being declared “wild poliovirus-free” in 2020, the recent cases have necessitated an emergency response.The vaccination campaign will be coupled with the mother and child Nutrition action week (SASNIM), a week of actions focused on child and maternal health and nutrition. The campaign will also feature intensified surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases, including poliomyelitis, measles, yellow fever, and neonatal tetanus.Media professionals and digital social mobilizers have been urged to intensify communication around the campaign, targeting communities that are often hostile and reluctant to vaccinate. By working together, the goal is to protect children and prevent the spread of polio in Cameroon.

By GINA ESONG