Eradicating Polio: Rotary Supports Vaccination Drive

 A team from Rotary International was in Abo integrated district health centre in Souza (Mungo Division) on Monday March 30, to assist in the vaccination of children and encourage mother’s to vaccination their children.The Rotary team, led by Stephane Guinand, assisted in the vaccination process and got first hand information on how the process works. Cameroon is stepping up its push toward a polio-free future and Rotary International and partners have been working alongside health authorities to strengthen routine immunization and keep communities protected. During the visit to the Abo integrated health district in Souza, the Rotary Polio teams, accompanied by a team from the World Health Organization (WHO) from Geneva, were fully engaged in the vaccination sessions, and urged parents to continue taking part in immunization activities. Stephane Guinand emphasized that the fight against polio has been underway for decades and is close to success. “Rotary itself has been trying to eradicate polio for about forty years”, Stephane Guinand said, noting that although cases have declined significantly, a small number still occur. As such, he stressed that vaccination must remain consistent. The outreach in Souza included local sensitization designed to encourage vaccination participation whenever health workers arrive for immunization campaigns. Dr Handy Sylvie, president of Polio plus, Rotary International, described their role as both supportive and educational, helping families understand why vaccination must continue to ensure collective immunity. The Littoral Regional Coordinator of the Expanded Immunisation Program, Dr. Leonard Ewane, highlighted that the activity in Souza was not a large “campaign” in the traditional sense. Instead, it was a routine vaccination session carried out at an integrated health center, allowing children to receive scheduled immunizations and red...