Shouts of joy, the heaving of sighs of relief and loud applause accompanied the announcement declaring open, the reactive vaccination campaign against cholera in the Centre Region.
The launch of the five-day campaign this August 16, 2023 at Bilik-City Bilingual Complex in Emana, Yaounde 1 is timely. This is because the inhabitants of the neighbourhood have suffered the damaging effects of cholera since March 25, 2023.
“I lost my six months pregnant neighbour to cholera,” laments Nadege, an inhabitant of Bilik.
She adds that some other neighbours were also infected by the disease.
The Chief of Bilik, Berthold Bindzi Mvilongo added his voice to the locals to decry the water crisis affecting them.
“There is no water in Bilik, reason why cholera thrives here,” he pointed out.
The Head of the Djongoulo Health District in Yaounde, Dr Fils Emmanuel Minyem indicated that about 700 cases of cholera have been reported at his district with about 50 deaths recorded.
He therefore called on the population to massively turn out for the vaccine.
The Divisional Officer of Yaounde 1, Harouna Nyandji Mgbatou, took the relay to highlight the need to get vaccinated against cholera, especially with the recent outbreak and devastating effects recorded.
The World Health Organisation’s Representative in Cameroon, Dr Phanuel Habimana was present alongside collaborators to lend support in this fight.
Within thirty minutes of talking, almost all the people who turned out for the launch were lined up, ready to take the life-changing cholera vaccine.
Following this launch, teams will be deployed across the Centre Region to vaccinate all and sundry against cholera.
From health districts to school campuses and even door-to-door, the campaign train shall move on till August 20, 2023.
Eleanor Ayuketah Ngochi
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