Cameroon

January 30-February 4, 2007
Targeted vaccinations: 1,884,270
Other health interventions: vitamin A and insecticide treated nets (Malaria prevention)

November-December 2006
Targeted vaccinations: 1,884,270
Deaths averted per year:
Other health interventions: Insecticide treated nets in Garoua (Northern Province)

January 2001 and December 2002
Children vaccinated: 7,360,359
Deaths prevented: 9,398

The goal behind the Cameroon campaign was to learn how to operationally organize things on a small scale before going nationwide. Uganda did the same thing with small campaigns first. The target was 33% coverage (as a pilot) and the remaining 66% next year.

Four hundred RC volunteers worked January 4-16 on the first phase of the national measles catch-up campaign in Northern Cameroon. They informed the population in marketplaces and in other public places in Maroua, Garoua and Gaoundere. Others did house to house canvassing to persuade parents to bring their children to be vaccinated. Volunteers received social mobilization and measles information training. They aimed to reach 2,899,330 children aged 9 months to 14 years in 3 northern provinces where measles is traditionally a serious problem. Cameroon normally reports 7-15,000 measles deaths each year.

(reported by Reg. Del. Yaoundé, January 2002)