The Imperative Response Measures

Cameroon is into its third month of trauma since the monster virus sneaked into the country early March this year. The socio-economic consequences remain excruciating as the number of cases keeps rising defying the multiplicity of measures government has taken to scale down the shocks. The Head of State, President Paul Biya in his first direct address to the nation on 19 May, tells of a situation that is complex and difficult but assures his compatriots of the determination of the government to take the challenge to the end.  But this, as he underscored, is a war that must be fought by everyone. “Despite these efforts, the number of infected persons keeps increasing daily, thus indicating that the fight against this pandemic is complex and difficult. I therefore call on each and every one of you to get involved. Each of us must comply with the measures that have been taken. This is one of the conditions for us to achieve the desired victory against the virus.” There certainly could have been no better way of saying it. COVID-19 is a litmus test for researchers, scientists, medics, traditional medicine, the religious and all the stakeholders whose interventions are often solicited in the face of a crisis of this magnitude.
Pending the discovery of a vaccine that will help eradicate the virus, the government in its frantic effort put up 19 response measures that could attenuate the pain inflicted into the population in its entire dimension by the disease. These measures were highly imperative even though some doubting Thomases put speed breaks on their full implementation. It was certainly for this reason that government came back on its decision relaxing some of the measures. But the population had to be reminded that we are facing a pandemic that demands a lot of sacrifices. “As you are aware, following the outbreak of the pandemic in our country, a Special National Solidarity Fund to Fight the Coronavirus has been set up, in addition to the protective measures I have already mentioned. I have taken measures, within the limits of existing resources, to ensure its initial replenishment with the sum of one billion CFA francs. Additional resources could be provided depending on changing needs on the ground.”
These measures as stated by the Head of State could be reviewed. And to clear the air on the controversy some of the measures must have sparked, President Biya went ahead to clarify why it was necessary to set up the package of response measures which are being implemented at the moment and above all the readjustment that followed. ...