The government of Cameroon, in partnership with UNICEF and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has launched a 12-month project aimed at educating young people about COVID-19 prevention. The project, which employs the Social Behaviour Change (SBC) approach, targets young people in the East Region of Cameroon. The initiative was launched in August 2022 and has already made significant progress in sensitizing the public about the importance of COVID-19 vaccination.
In the Doume Subdivision of the Upper Nyong Division, 88 people were vaccinated against COVID-19 between August and September 2022, including 31 elderly people. The Divisional Officer for Doume, Baba François Roger, joined health staff and youth in the campaign to promote COVID-19 prevention. The project is being implemented by the Doume Social Affairs Centre, led by Abada Etaba Collins Bruno, who oversees the SBC project in the area.
According to Abada Etaba Collins Bruno, the project has been successful in sensitizing the public about COVID-19 prevention. He noted that those who have been vaccinated serve as mouthpieces to the public on the need to get vaccinated. However, he also mentioned that some of those vaccinated do not realize they need to take the second dose. The project team has also created COVID-19 clubs to reach out to more people and organize public events to promote COVID-19 prevention.
The project team uses social media to create visibility for their efforts and sensitizes the public on Sundays to meet more people at home. However, Abada Etaba Collins Bruno mentioned that occasional administrative bottlenecks tend to hamper their work. Despite these challenges, the project is making progress, and the team is taking advantage of every opportunity to sensitize the public about COVID-19 prevention.
Njombe Kelly Fidelie, the leader of the SBC Doume COVID-19 awareness group, emphasized the importance of prevention over cure. He noted that although the pandemic is no longer at its peak in Cameroon, it is essential to remain vigilant and take preventive measures. The team has trained 21 members to sensitize the public about COVID-19 and has faced challenges such as frequent power outages, fuel scarcity, and commercial motorbike scarcity.
The project has also targeted pupils in schools, with the team visiting the Government Primary School Doume Group II twice to sensitize them about COVID-19 prevention. The Head Teacher, Wassom Jean Pierre Leduc, expressed gratitude to UNICEF and its partners for the initiative and noted that the pupils respect preventive measures. However, he also raised concerns about the challenges faced by the school, including insufficient teachers, old buildings, and lack of water.
The school faces significant challenges, including a damaged roof at Government Primary School Doume Group I, which was destroyed by a fallen palm tree. The Head Teacher appealed for assistance from the government and partners to address these challenges. The Doume Inspectorate of Primary and Nursery Education also called on UNICEF to support the school. KEY_POINT: The project aims to educate young people about COVID-19 prevention using the Social Behaviour Change approach. KEY_POINT: 88 people were vaccinated against COVID-19 in the Doume Subdivision between August and September 2022. KEY_POINT: The project team faces challenges such as administrative bottlenecks, power outages, fuel scarcity, and commercial motorbike scarcity.
