Health, Nutrition, Vaccination : Helen Keller Targets West Region Councils, Schools

“Nurturing Local Governance Of Health Promotion And Nutrition LOKALE II, Capacity and Accountability Building in Local Councils in Cameroon” is a project implemented in the West, Adamawa and East Regions by the international charity, Helen Keller Int’l Cameroon. A ceremony in Government Bilingual Technical High School, Banengo, Bafoussam, West Region on Friday, June 30, 2023 saw the handover by Helen Keller of medical supplies and beds to 28 secondary schools. 

In Two Phases 
Lasting from 2022-2023, the project, which is in its second phase, was rolled out in Bafoussam, headquarters of West Region by Fabrice Kappu, Helen Keller Int’l Cameroon Finance Manager,, which is implementing it. Financed by the German Technical Cooperation, GiZ, the project covers 23 council areas in the West, Adamawa and East Regions. 
Kappu recalled that LOKALE Project, which is part of «Projet Planification Familiale et Appui au Système de Santé pour la résilience au Cameroun » ProPASSar of the German Cooperation through the German Technical Cooperation, GiZ, is implemented in two phases. 

Beneficiary Councils
The 23 beneficiary councils are five in the Adamawa Region (Dir, Ngaoundal, Tibati, Ngaoundéré and Dang); three in the East Region (Atok, Bertoua, Garoua-Boulai); and 14 councils in the West Region (Bafang, Bafoussam 2ème, Bakou, Bana, Bangangté, Bandjoun, Banka, Batié, Bayangam, Bazou, Demdeng, Dschang, Foumbot, Tonga).

Project Objectives 
“The objective of the first phase was to “support local governance in the promotion of health and nutrition through training council officials and mayors.” While the second phase comprises “Strengthening council health systems through vaccination and sexual and adolescent reproductive health, and nutrition,” Kappu noted. 

Activities Carried Out
Adding that as part of LOKALE II, Helen Keller Int’l has carried out a number of activities with councils to promote health, nutrition and wellbeing. The wellbeing of Cameroonians has been devolved to local governments, he restated. The activities include training council officials and mayors on the promotion of health, nutrition and vaccination; offering assistance to councils to help produce their development plans on the promotion of health, nutrition and vaccination; and providing equipment and material for vaccination and cold chains. 

Capacity-building For Stakeholders
Council and school stakeholders have received training in sexual and reproductive health amongst young people. While school health staff were trained on reproductive health and vaccination in school, and council officials on school health action. Finally, community and opinion leaders, and teachers received capacity building on behaviour change communication in schools. Fabrice Kappu revisited what the two phases of the project sought to achieve - and what has actually been done.    

 A Collective Effort
“Education is a collective effort intended to offer to the learner the aptitudes society expects of them. The learning process demands favourable conditions, amongst which is eye health. Thus, the putting in place for our youths by Helen Keller of the LOKALE Project, which is a combination of family planning and support to resilience of the health system of Cameroon, ProPASSar,” Dr Ngabnya Francois, Regional Delegate for Secondary Education for West Region, said at the occasion.

Proper Project Ownership
“Helen Keller has played its part, we are so grateful……. I hereby direct all Divisional Delegates of Secondary Education in the West Region to ensure that the material donated by Helen Keller gets to its true beneficiaries, the students. And that they are well managed. I expect regular reports on their use,” Dr Ngabnya Francois emphasised. 

Councils Have Achieved Much 
According to the Mayor of Foumbot, Njoya Inoussa, progress has been made in some areas, especially the fight against noise pollution, and the abusive use of chemical fertilizers and its sanitation system. “We also responded to threats to the health of young people, insufficient vaccination cover, malnutrition, alcohol abuse, cigarette smoking, risk sexuality and early pregnancies. All the activities took place in schools in order to reach out to the true target,” Mayor Inoussa explained. 
“Sensitising students on early pregnancies, sexually-transmissible diseases, drug abuse, and family planning, are all important in building Cameroon. We are grateful to Helen Keller Int’l, FEICOM and GiZ for working with us,” the Mayor said.&...