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Vaccination : UNICEF Bolsters Cameroon’s Storage Capacity, Outreach

Par Kimeng Hilton
05 juil. 2024 20:43
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The equipment, including cold chain equipment and rolling stock, was handed over to government in the capital, Yaounde on July 4, 2024.

As part of efforts to modernize Cameroon’s vaccine storage and vaccination outreach, the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF on Thursday July 4, 2024 in the Cameroonian capital, Yaounde, offered cold chain equipment and rolling stock to the government. The Minister of Public Health, Dr Manouda Malachie who received the items on behalf of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation, EPI in turn handed them to representatives of devolved EPI services.

For Conservation, Transportation
According to a statement from UNICEF, the equipment, which is of vital importance for improving the conservation and transport of vaccines and inputs at all levels of the health chain in Cameroon, was acquired with the financial support of GAVI (CDS3), the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UPS Foundation.

The Offered Equipment
They include 14 refrigerated pick-up vans allocated to the Coordinators of the Expanded Programme on Immunization in the 10 administrative regions of Cameroon and to the central services. Some 227 motorcycles that will facilitate the transport of vaccines from health district depots to health facilities. As well as one dry truck that will transport injection equipment from the central warehouse in Yaounde to the 10 regional depots. In addition to four vehicles to ensure coordination at the regional and health district levels. And 25 electric cold rooms for central and regional warehouses.

Cameroon’s Modernises Vaccination Delivery
As Cameroon has embarked on a process of modernizing its vaccination offer, the equipment will enable the country’s EPI to meet the challenges of safeguarding, transporting and storing vaccines in appropriate conditions - even to the most difficult areas.

In Order To Save Children’s Lives
Nadine Perrault, UNICEF Cameroon Country Representative, praised the collaboration with the government and particularly the Ministry of Health, while reaffirming UNICEF's commitment to children. "UNICEF played an important role in acquiring this equipment from our donors GAVI, UPS Foundation and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France, whom we all want to thank. Behind this donation, there are many children to be vaccinated. The equipment acquired will further promote the availability of vaccines in health districts and they can even be transported to communities through motorcycles. It is a whole chain that will allow every child in Cameroon to be vaccinated and to be able to develop fully. These vaccines will save lives," she said.