Curbing The Cholera Scourge : Campaign Ongoing In Three Regions

Technical groups of the Expanded Vaccination Programme and some regional health workers are currently spearheading a five-day campaign to eradicate the Vibrio cholera bacteria that causes cholera. The campaign which began yesterday February 22, 2023 in the Centre, Littoral and Far North Regions, targets all children aged one year and above, pregnant and breastfeeding women. The Ministry of Public Health alongside its partners such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), the Vaccine Alliance (GAVI) and Doctors Without Borders have called on the population to mobilize and effectively prevent cholera which has been ravaging inhabitants in some regions in the country. 
Information from the WHO reveals that Cameroon is among several countries in West and Central Africa experiencing recurrent cholera outbreaks. Between October 29, 2021 and April 30, 2022, a total of 6,652 suspected cases including 134 deaths (case fatality ratio 2 per cent) were reported. Several risk factors contribute to the ongoing cholera outbreaks in Cameroon. Besides the wide circulation of Vibrio cholera, the limited access to safe drinking water in some areas, a seasonal pattern of cholera occurrence and inadequate hygiene conditions are to blame. 
Medically,...