COVID Vaccine Promotion: The Non-neglible Role Of The Civil Society

As part of its visit, the delegation from the COVID-19 Vaccine Delivery Partnership, CoVDP, met with the civil society in Yaounde on November 16, 2022. The team, which is led by CoVDP’s Deputy Coordinator, Dr. Richard Mihigo, is in the country to learn more about Cameroon’s Coronavirus pandemic response. And to lend its support to Cameroon’s fifth COVID-19 efforts and the vaccination campaign from November 18-27, 2022.
According to Jean Urbain Zoa, the Secretary General of the Cameroon Red Cross, response to the pandemic has to be community-based. While Jonas Yedidia Alirou, head of Family Club charity, actors should show the example on the field. In the course of the meeting, three presentations were made. “We can for example take advantage of the treated mosquito bed net distribution campaign to sensitise people about COVID-19 vaccination and then proceed with vaccination,” commented the representative of the OSC Platform that promotes vaccination and the strengthening of Cameroon’s health system.
The Cameroon Red Cross, which is present in all of Cameroon’s 10 administrative regions, said it had carried out a number of training sessions to fight COVID-19, with over 31,000 volunteers sensitised. However, the Cameroon Red Cross would like to be supported the more by the Ministry of Public Health – materially and financially during the vaccination campaign. Helen Keller International on its part has offered 24 partner councils, all-season motorbikes, vaccine storage coolers, computer printers and desktop computers to facilitate the COVID-19 campaign and other health activities, its representative at the meeting revealed. 
Meanwhile, the fifth COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Cameroon will be launched on Friday, November 18, 2022 by a representative of the Prime Minister, Head of Government, Chief Dr. Joseph Dion Ngute in the Yaounde Indoor Sports Complex, Warda at 10 am. The high profile ceremony will be attended by diplomats, cabinet ministers, amongst others.
According to the Ministry of Public Health, Cameroon has already covered 12 per cent of its population, with 1.8 million...