Visionary Reports

A team from Rotary international was in Abo integrated district health centre in Souza on Monday March 30 to assist in the vaccination of children and encourage mother’s to vaccination their children. The Rotary international team led by Stephane Guinand from Rotary club Belle couer assisted in the vaccination process and got first hand information on how the process works.Cameroon is stepping up its push toward a polio-free future and Rotary International and partners have been working alongside health authorities to strengthen routine immunization and keep communities protected.

During the visit to the Abo Integrated health district in Souza mungo division of the Littoral region , the Rotary Polio teams accompanied by a team from the World Health Organization (WHO) from Geneva were fully engaged in the vaccination sessions, and urged parents to continue taking part in immunization activities.The head of the Rotary delegation Stephane Guinand emphasized that the fight against polio has been underway for decades and is close to success.“Rotary itself has been trying to eradicate polio for about forty years,” Stephane Guinand said , noting that although cases have declined significantly, a small number still occur. As such he stressed that vaccination must remain consistent.The outreach in Souza included local sensitization designed to encourage vaccination participation whenever health workers arrive for immunization campaigns. Dr Handy Sylvie president of Polio plus, Rotary International described their role as both supportive and educational, helping families understand why vaccination must continue to ensure collective immunity.The littoral regional coordinator of the expanded immunisation program Dr. Ewane Leonard highlighted that the activity in Souza was not a large “campaign” in the traditional sense. Instead, it was a routine vaccination session carried out at an integrated health center, allowing children to receive scheduled immunizations and reducing missed opportunities.He estimated that around 75 children received routine vaccines during the session.He added that there was need to improve routine immunization quality, implement supplementary immunization activities, and ensure strong communication strategies. He also stressed the importance of governance and monitoring, ensuring that all required indicators are met at all level.The coordinator explained that the Abo integrated district health centre was chosen because the was a recent diagnosis and confirmation of a yellow fever case which prompted a response campaign that included catch-up vaccination for missed children.Because routine vaccination was identified as critical in preventing further outbreaks and closing immunity gaps, he said their aim was to follow up and reinforce ongoing immunization to ensure that no child is left out and that mothers in Souza remain continuously informed and encouraged to vaccinate their children.

By Gina ESONG