Breaking Barriers:

The Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services is an innovative organisation championing inclusive healthcare provision, especially in remote and underserved communities in Cameroon since 1936 till date, the organisation is second only to the government, providing inclusive facility- and community-based preventive, curative and palliative care to millions of Cameroonians. Some of the areas in which CBCHS has distinguished itself over the years include; health promotion, HIV/AIDS response, non-communicable disease prevention and control and services for people with disabilities.

The Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services is the implementing partner of the Zero-Dose Immunisation Programme (ZIP) in the Sahel in Cameroon

The Raise4 ZDC is rolled out in three priority regions of Cameroon; Northwest, Southwest, and Far North regions of Cameroon. These regions cover 40% of Zero-dose children in the country.

Immunisation is a simple and effective way of protecting children from serious vaccine-preventable diseases. It helps protect individuals and the broader community by minimising the spread of disease.

Vaccines work by triggering the immune system to fight against diseases. If a vaccinated person comes in contact with these diseases, their immune system can respond more effectively, preventing the disease from developing or significantly reducing its severity.

Immunisation protects against many serious childhood diseases, including:

• whooping cough (pertussis)
• measles
• yellow fever
• pneumococcal disease
• chickenpox (varicella)
• tetanus
• mumps
• polio
• diphtheria
• rotavirus
• hepatitis.
• Meningitis
• Hepatitis B

These diseases can cause hospitalisation, disabilities, and severe health conditions (including cancer, brain damage and deafness) that can be fatal. High immunisation rates in the community have caused many of these diseases to become rare. However, they still exist, and the risks of complications from these diseases are far greater than the minimal risks of side effects from vaccination.

The Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) childhood vaccination calendar that runs from 0-15 months specifies the vaccines administered at different ages, including a catch-up schedule to cover those who drop out or become lost to follow-up. These vaccines are available free of charge for every child in Cameroon.

You can obtain the latest vaccination calendar information from the link https://drive.google.com/file/d/1furFUlOC2T4jw-R7-egRFyHhvfKrS8Il/view.

Some children may require additional vaccines based on the epidemiological landscape of their communities. Some disease outbreaks like cholera and yellow fever sometimes require supplementary activities of immunisation that go along with routine immunisation to contain the spread of such diseases.

Vaccination is a very safe preventive act. However, there is no medication without side effects. but the benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks of becoming ill with a life-threatening disease from the vaccine.

All vaccines used in Cameroon undergo extensive research and must be approved by the Ministry of public health.

Generally, before a vaccine can be licensed, it is tested over several years to ascertain its efficacy and safety. Any concerns about vaccine safety should be raised with your doctor or immunisation provider.

Like all medications, vaccines have side effects. These are minor reactions, such as soreness at the injection site or a mild fever. Most side effects are short-lived and do not lead to any long-term problems. A slight reaction shows that the vaccine has the desired effect on the immune system. More severe side effects are infrequent but may include allergic reactions. If you are at all concerned, seek medical advice immediately

Check with the nearest health centre in your neighbourhood to see if they offer vaccination services. They will refer you in case they do not provide such services

No. the CBC Health Services will not provide vaccines in Cameroon; instead, it will work with the EPI to generate demand for vaccination services through awareness-raising, education, advocacy, and strengthening vaccination service delivery, including distribution, preservation and administration of vaccines to ‘leave no one behind.

No. ZDC and missed communities are found in all ten regions of Cameroon. However, there are greater numbers of ZDCs in fragile and underserved areas due to prolonged conflicts, geographic location or socio-cultural and religious linings. ZDC in the North West, South West, Littoral, and Far North Regions make up 55% of ZDC children in the entire country. Hence the high rate of ZDC in these communities informed the choice of priority regions.