By Abongwa Fozo
The Northwest Region has officially launched the second round of the National Immunization Days (NID) against poliomyelitis with the vaccination of 89 enfants of the Government Nursery School Bamenda Station. The campaign runs from 29th May to June 1, 2025.
Mr. Djunang Marceliout, Economic and Social and Cultural Affairs head at the Northwest Governor’s office launched the campaign when he vaccinated a nursery one enfant of GS Bamenda Station on Wednesday May 28, 2025. He was accompanied by representative of the SDO, the City Mayor and Regional Delegate for Public Health.
The campaign targets some 332,000 children aged zero to five years across 21 health districts in all seven divisions of the Northwest Region..
The immunization against poliomyelitis will also run concurrently with the administration of Vitamin A to children aged 12 to 59 months (1-5 years) and the giving of intermittent preventive treatment against malaria to pregnant women.
According to Dr. Chebo Cornelius, regional coordinator for the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) mobile teams of vaccinators will move from door to door, in schools, markets, churches and other public places to administer the polio vaccine and the vitamin A supplements. It will also be carried out in all health units and is free of charge.
Giving of malaria preventive treatment to pregnant women meanwhile will only be in health units.
The first round of the campaign recorded a 95% success rate he said. To completely eradicate the disease, no chances are taken. Cameroon and other counties of the Lake Chad Basin (Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Central African Republic) are carrying out the campaign simultaneously.
During an advocacy meeting with stake holders on Wednesday May 28, the Northwest Regional Delegate for Public Health, Dr Ambe Leonel N. Saïd thèse two rounds of the campaign in 2025 is justified by the identification of two case in Cameroon and 41 cases in the Lake Chad Basin.
A single case of the disease public health expert says means hundred more within the community.
Poliomyelitis is a highly contagious disease that can lead to partial or total irreversible paralysis. It it’s transmitted through consumption of contaminated water or food.
Beside the taking of vaccines which is the best way to protect against the virus in children, maintaining good hygienic standards like washing of hands with running water and soap, washing of fruits before eating and avoid defecating in open spaces would help prevent the spread of the virus.
