Combating Rabies, Yellow Fever: For Every Generation, Vaccine Works!

Asymposium to mark the 16th edition of World Immunization Week (WIW) and African Immunization Week (AIW) took place at the Littoral regional delegation of Public Health on Tuesday April 28. Held under the patronage of the Minister, Manaouda Malachie, the event took place under the global theme, “For Every Generation, Vaccines Work". The symposium brought together regional health officials, experts from the Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries (MINEPIA), and representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO). The primary focus was a dual-threat response to canine rabies and yellow fever, two deadly but entirely preventable diseases. Recent data highlights an urgent need for intervention. According to MINEPIA-Littoral, the region recorded 287 dog bites and placed 112 animals under clinical observation in 2025. However, the trend is accelerating. The first quarter of 2026 alone saw 143 reported bites across Douala’s nine urban health districts. Furthermore, to counter this, health officials have adopted a "One Health" approach: Between 2022 and 2025, nearly 490,000 students across 545 schools received rabies awareness training. The region aims to achieve a 70% vaccination rate among the local animal population. Any animal involved in a biting incident is now automatically treated as a rabies suspect. The Douala International Vaccination Center (CVID) is central to this mobilization. Dr. Olivia Édou Nko'o, Head of CVID, noted that the center provides 20 types of vaccines and 11 diagnostic tests. For rabies, the center utilizes the Zagreb or Essen protocols for both pre-exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis. "When we receive bite victims, we immediately administer the vaccine as a curative measure," explained Dr. Nko’o. "The first step for any victim is simple: wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water, then head immediately to a treatment center". Dr. Nko’o also clarified the cost structure for ser...