Cameroon: Minister of Public Health Launches Vaccination Exercise in South West

By Boris Esono Nwenfor

The Minister of Public Health Dr Manaouda Malachie has launched the vaccination exercise in the South West Region as officials grapple to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Prof Ndip, Deputy Vice-chancellor of the University of Buea is amongst the first persons to receive the Chinese Sinopham COVID-19 vaccine at the Buea Regional Hospital as the Minister of Health alongside other officials also went down to Limbe for the same exercise.

Minister Manaouda Malachie’s visit to the South West Region follows a similar exercise undertaken in the nation’s political capital Yaounde. Some 200,000 doses of the Sinopham vaccine were donated by the Chinese government to the country in their effort to help Cameroon. It is expected that more is to follow from the Chinese government.

The priority targets according to government officials are healthcare personnel, vulnerable groups or those with pre-existing health conditions, taxi drivers, and the general public.

This visit by the health boss is also coming at a time when the country is making strides in acquiring vaccines for its populace. Some 400,000 doses of the British Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is expected in the country.

According to the Permanent Secretary of the National Vaccination Program, Joshua Ndoula Shalom, the vaccines are expected in Cameroon on Saturday, April 17.

“At the moment, health personnel are the priority target for the start of the vaccination exercise with negotiations underway to obtain additional doses of the vaccine to achieve substantial vaccination coverage, Joshua Ndoula Shalom added.

It should be recalled that Cameroon had earlier suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine after countries had earlier stopped using it due to fears of a blood clot. Both countries have begun using the vaccine officials in Cameroon too have done a U-turn and indicated that they will use the vaccine.