Vaccination, Nutrition, Vitamin A Supplementation : SHAD Project, Partners Review Implementation, Propose Solutions

The Seed of Health And Development, SHAD association on Thursday, September 11, 2025 held an information and advocacy meeting in Yaounde to evaluate the four-month project, “Human-centred Design, HCD: Improving the use of immunization services and promoting good nutrition practices.” 

Project Sites
The meeting was chaired by a representative of the Centre Regional Unit of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation, EPI. And also attended by heads of the Djoungolo, Cité Verte and Nkoldongo Health Districts, and the heads of Nlongkak, Mokolo and Mimboman II health areas. They discussed challenges with the effective implementation of the project. 

Project Objectives 
The project seeks to strengthen HPV vaccination in Djoungolo, Nkolndongo and Cite Verte Health Districts in Mfoundi Division, Centre Region. Exclusive and long-lasting breastfeeding in Bafang Health District of West Region and Garoua Health District in North Region. And Vitamin A supplementation to prevent growth challenges amongst children in Mandjou Health District in the East Region and Garoua II Health District in the North Region.    

Despite Collaboration Challenges 
Ramses Tsala, Head of Monitoring and Evaluation of the “Human-centred Design, HCD: Improving the use of immunization services and promoting good nutrition practices” project said its implementation has been going on well. Despite challenges like collaboration with oversight authorities. Though the situation is beginning to improve, he assured. 

Still To Be Done
“In the North, East and West Regions, project activities are almost ended. Only the Centre Region is left, especially three health districts in Mfoundi Division. We plan to organize workshops with local stakeholders to propose solutions to challenges with HPV vaccination coverage, breastfeeding and Vitamin A supplementation,” Tsala pointed out.    

Aim Of Meeting
“The meeting with the Centre Regional EPI authorities and representatives of some health districts and health areas was to brief them on how the project has been going. Present the challenges faced and together discuss and propose how to resolve the challenges. It should be recalled that our project approach is human-centred; meaning we place the inputs of our beneficiaries at the centre of what we do. In the North Region, beneficiaries rightly proposed we use the good offices of imams to help convince people to go for vaccination and nutrition services, and exclusive breastfeeding,” Ramses disclosed. 

Understanding Why
“We want to understand to understand why some people are not turning up with their children for vaccination, and then propose solutions. The reasons have to do with disinformation, lack of the right information on vaccination… Together with community people, we will try to understand what accounts for the low level of vaccination coverage,” Ghislain Ndongo, the Social Behaviour Change, SBC consultant with SHAD said.

Counter Measures 
“We sensitize on breastfeeding immediately after child birth, exclusive breastfeeding until six months, and long-lasting breastfeeding. This is to counter some beliefs that the first drops of breast milk are not good for babies immediately after their birth,” he noted.   

Next Steps
“We are now in the advocacy phase of the project; to be followed by the identification of the challenges faced in accessing these services; the way out and then test the proposed solutions in the field. Before coming up with an action plan on the next phase of project activities.” Ndongo disclosed. 

Unstable Refugee Parents 
According to Dr Teki Marcel, head of Nlongkak Health Area, Yaounde, Mfoundi Division of Centre Region, the Expanded Programme on Immunisation, EPI in Cameroon faces a number of challenges in Nlongkak Health Area. A number of refugee children often miss their ...