The fourth round of Vaccination campaign against Covid-19 has been announced by the Minister of Public Health, Manaouda Malachie in order to continue the fight against Covid-19, vaccinate the target number of people and combatting the spread of the deadly virus.
The reason for this stems from the fact that, statistics given by the Regional Delegate for Public Health Northwest has proven more people are reached during such mass campaigns.
"Its because of the low coverage that more strategies are put in place to reach the target, it's important to organize these campaigns. The mass campaign has proven to be most effective tool, reaching the target number for vaccination. Out of the 73000 people vaccinated in the region, about 32000 of them were vaccinated during the pre previous campaigns. About 44% of persons recieved their vaccine during the campaigns", Dr. Kingsley Che Nsoh, NW Regional Delegate Public health.
This campaign is organized to run from 16th to 20th March 2022 urging more people to go for their vaccines, to avoid contamination and also prevent the deadly virus from escalating to a 5th wave.
In Cameroon a total of 5 vaccines have been approved; Sinorpham, astra-zeaneca, Johnson and Johnson, Pfizer. Not all of these will be available during this campaign, but for Sinorpham, Johnson and Johnson, Pfizer.
Those eligible to get the vaccine are those who have never recieved, those 18years and above.
"A boaster dose for those who are at risk; health workers, 50 years and above, suffering from hypertension and dibaetes, those who recieved their last dose more than 6months ago, protection is no longer optimal and should recieve this, while Pregnant women can get Pfizer" Kingsley Che Nsoh.
Since the outbreak of Covid-19 in Cameroon, the government put in place barrier measures, with vaccines introduced during the period of response. It was launched on April 14th 2021 and since then, according to the NW Regional Delegate of Public health over 73211 persons have been vaccinated on a target of 94000 persons that was expected.
"In the region the coverage stands at 7.8% which is quite low, with same observation at national level.
Statistics of the 4th week of the pandemic, the Northwest region has registered 510 cases, 11 deaths".
"A progessive decrease has been registered; there are 3 postive cases, no case of death as of last week. We have been vaccinating a good number of people", NW Regional Delegate Public Health explained.
The first case was registered April 2020, since then the region has had 1308 cases, with 12500 recoveries, 96% of patients recovered, with over 489 deaths registered.
According to Dr. Kingsley Che Nsoh, mortality rate is not very high, "it stands at 3.7%, slightly higher than the national figure. 6 patients are currently positive with one being a moderate case, administered in Nkwen district hospital and 5 others are in bed at home being mild cases".
Alot has been said already about COVID-19, yet it is important to retain that it is a respiratory disease affecting the throat and the lungs and it is very contagious; easily transmitted through coughing, sneazing or staying in contact with someone infected.
It can be gotten through air borne transmission through contaminated droplets, reason why there is need for air circulation in any environment. Major symptoms could be; fever, dry cough and fatigue for mild cases, severe symptoms; difficulty in breathing, shortness in breath, loss of appetite.
"It's possible that a patient looses consciousness as a result of COVID-19", NW Regional Public health Delegate reiterated.
Preventing this virus from spreading will be through; respect barrier measures, which are basically hygiene measures, the Infection, prevention and control measures.
It is only during the period of response, that the vaccine was introduced as the most effective means to prevent transmission.
By Ndefru Melanie in Bamenda
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