From September to December 2024, the Ministry of Public Health of Cameroon is organizing a national campaign to catch up on the vaccination of children aged 0 to 5 years and adolescents aged 9 to 14 years old. Regarding the 1st round, the Littoral region will begin this campaign from September 23 to 29.
This Big Cash Up is placed under the patronage of the Minister of Public Health Dr Manaouda Malachie.
WHY THE BIG CATCH UP?
Since 2019, more than 700,000 children aged 12 to 59 months have not received the essential vaccines they need for their proper growth and health. This large number of unvaccinated or insufficiently vaccinated children is explained not only by the COVID-19 pandemic which disrupted the provision of vaccination services, but also by several factors such as insecurity, religious or cultural barriers, misinformation, lifestyle (nomads, internally displaced persons, refugees), difficulties in accessing vaccination services, low risk perception and fear of adverse effects. All of this increases the risk of epidemics and the resurgence of many vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs). It is in this context that Cameroon is launching a national catch-up campaign for the vaccination of children aged 0 to 5 years and adolescents aged 9 to 14 years over the period from September to December 2024.
WHAT IS THE BIG CATCH UP?
The Big Catch Up is a national catch-up vaccination campaign that targets children aged 0-5 who have never been vaccinated or who have missed one or more doses of vaccines, and adolescents aged 9-14 who have never received their HPV vaccine. The Big Catch-Up aims to reach and vaccinate children aged 0-5 and adolescents aged 9-14 who are zero-dose, under-vaccinated or incompletely vaccinated. They are typically found in slums, hard-to-reach rural areas, and areas of conflict and insecurity.
WHAT IS A ZERO DOSE UNDER-VACCINATED OR INCOMPLETELY VACCINATED CHILD?
A child is considered zero dose when he has not received the recommended vaccines at the age of one and a half months). This mainly concerns the first dose of the pentavalent vaccine (against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, viral hepatitis and Haemophilus influenzae type B infections. Other vaccines are administered at the same time, namely: OPV against poliomyelitis), ROTA (against rotavirus diarrhea) and PCV 13 Against preumococcal infections.
A child is considered under-vaccinated when he has not taken all the doses of the recommended vaccines at the age of three and a half months (114 weeks). This is mainly the third dose of the Pentavalent vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, viral hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae type B infections. At this age, the child also takes the third dose of the vaccines against poliomyelitis, rotavirus diarrhea and the pneumococcal vaccine. In addition, he takes the first dose of the injectable vaccine against poliomyelitis and a preventive treatment drug against malaria.
A child is considered incompletely vaccinated if he or she has not received one or more doses of the other vaccines provided for in the vaccination schedule.
WHAT IS A DISEASE PREVENTABLE BY VACCINATION?
A disease preventable by vaccination is any disease that can be prevented by an indicated vaccine. There are at least 15 diseases that are preventable by vaccination: Tuberculosis, Whooping cough, Poliomyelitis, Diphtheria. Tetanus, Viral hepatitis B. Rotavirus diarrhea, Haemophilus influenzae type B infections, Pneumococcal infections, Meningococcal meningitis, Measles, Rubella, Yellow fever, Malaria, Human Papilloma Virus infections (cervical cancer, penile cancer).
HOW IMPORTANT IS COMPLETE CHILDREN’S VACCINATION
A fully vaccinated child is a child who has received all doses of vaccines recommended according to the current vaccination schedule. Complete vaccination of the child helps to strengthen his immunity in order to effectively fight against diseases preventable by vaccination. It also helps to protect against serious forms and complications due to these diseases.
REASONS TO HAVE THE CHILD VACCINATED
It's EFFECTIVE: The vaccine allows any child who receives the two recommended doses to avoid the disease against which this vaccine protects and to be protected from complications related to the occurrence of this disease
It's NECESSARY: Getting vaccinated is necessary for yourself but also to protect others
It's SIMPLE: this vaccine consists of oral intake or an injection
It's SAFE: The vaccine is well tolerated by children. A fever may occur following vaccination but it is harmless and temporary for the child it's FREE
HOW MANY HEALTH DISTRICTS ARE CONCERNED?
Catch-up vaccination will take place in 80 health districts spread across the 10 regions of the country
WHAT ARE THE TARGET POPULATIONS OF THE CAMPAIGN?
Children aged 0 to 5 years Adolescents aged 9 to 14 years
WHAT ARE THE DATES OF THE BIG CATCH-UP
The big catch-up will take place in three rounds over the period from September 23 to December 12, 2024:
1st round: from September 23 to 29, 2024
2nd round from November 02 to 08, 2024
3rd round from December 06 to 12, 2004
WHAT ARE THE CAMPAIGN STRATEGIES?
Vaccination will be organized door-to-door, in strategy five in health facilities and temporary/advanced five (camps, insecure and difficult to access areas, places of worship, chiefdoms, markets, etc.)
N.B.: After this campaign, all parents must continue to vaccinate all their children against all diseases for which the country has vaccines: Tuberculosis. Poliomyelitis, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Whooping Cough, Viral Hepatitis B, Haemophilus Influenzae type b infections, Pneumococcal infections, Measles-Rubella, Yellow Fever, Rotavirus Diarrhea, HPV infections. To do this, parents must go to the nearest health facility and keep the child's vaccination card.
VICHAL DIKOBO S
699233518/670376078
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