2008 Kousseri vaccination campaign
Encyclopedia
The Kousseri vaccination campaign took place between 13 and 17 February 2008. During the campaign over 35,000 infant
s and child
ren were vaccinated
against at least one of measles
and poliomyelitis
in Cameroon
’s north-eastern district of Kousséri
, in an operation led by the Cameroon
ian Ministry of Health, the United Nations
, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including Médecins Sans Frontières – Switzerland (MSF-CH)
in particular.
The UN
Resident Coordinator
, Sophie de Caen
, stated that this was in response to the inflow of Chad
ian refugee
s into the country’s north-east earlier in February 2008, in the aftermath of the Battle of N'Djamena
, as the potential for epidemics substantially increases whenever there are population movements.
Following armed fighting in the Chad
ian capital N’Djamena, which erupted on 2 February, at least 30,000 Chad
ians had in fact crossed into Cameroon
, reaching Kousséri
in the country’s north-east. Most found refuge in two temporary sites, while many were hosted in schools, churches, and private homes, according to the United Nations.
The vaccination
campaign targeted all infants and children comprised in applicable age groups, across the district, ensuring protection for Cameroonian and refugee children alike. More specificall, all infants and children aged above six months and below 15 years were vaccinated against measles, while the vaccination against poliomyelitis targeted all those aged under five years, including newborns.
Figures released on 21 February 2008 show that a total of 35,615 children were vaccinated against poliomyelitis, while 32,624 were vaccinated against measles. Vitamin A
supplement tablets were also provided to approximately 34,000 children along with the vaccinations.
Infant
A newborn or baby is the very young offspring of a human or other mammal. A newborn is an infant who is within hours, days, or up to a few weeks from birth. In medical contexts, newborn or neonate refers to an infant in the first 28 days after birth...
s and child
Child
Biologically, a child is generally a human between the stages of birth and puberty. Some vernacular definitions of a child include the fetus, as being an unborn child. The legal definition of "child" generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority...
ren were vaccinated
Vaccine
A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism, and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe or its toxins...
against at least one of measles
Measles
Measles, also known as rubeola or morbilli, is an infection of the respiratory system caused by a virus, specifically a paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus. Morbilliviruses, like other paramyxoviruses, are enveloped, single-stranded, negative-sense RNA viruses...
and poliomyelitis
Poliomyelitis
Poliomyelitis, often called polio or infantile paralysis, is an acute viral infectious disease spread from person to person, primarily via the fecal-oral route...
in Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
’s north-eastern district of Kousséri
Kousséri
Kousséri is a city in Far North Province, Cameroon, lying on the border with Chad, across the Chari River from N'Djamena. It is the capital of the Logone-et-Chari department. It is a market town, and its population has recently been swollen by refugees from Chad. It had a population of 89,123 at...
, in an operation led by the Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
ian Ministry of Health, the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including Médecins Sans Frontières – Switzerland (MSF-CH)
Médecins Sans Frontières
' , or Doctors Without Borders, is a secular humanitarian-aid non-governmental organization best known for its projects in war-torn regions and developing countries facing endemic diseases. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland...
in particular.
The UN
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Resident Coordinator
Resident Coordinator
A United Nations Resident Coordinator is the highest United Nations official and the chief of UN diplomatic mission in a country . It confers the same rank as an Ambassador of a foreign state...
, Sophie de Caen
Sophie de Caen
Sophie de Caen, a citizen of Canada, is a senior UN official working for the United Nations Development Programme .Since 2004, she is Resident Representative of UNDP, and Resident Coordinator of the United Nations, in Cameroon...
, stated that this was in response to the inflow of Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
ian refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s into the country’s north-east earlier in February 2008, in the aftermath of the Battle of N'Djamena
Battle of N'Djamena (2008)
The Battle of N'Djamena began on February 2, 2008 when Chadian rebel forces opposed to Chadian President Idriss Déby entered N'Djamena, the capital of Chad, after a three-day advance through the country. The rebels were initially successful, taking a large part of the city and attacking the heavily...
, as the potential for epidemics substantially increases whenever there are population movements.
Following armed fighting in the Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
ian capital N’Djamena, which erupted on 2 February, at least 30,000 Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
ians had in fact crossed into Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
, reaching Kousséri
Kousséri
Kousséri is a city in Far North Province, Cameroon, lying on the border with Chad, across the Chari River from N'Djamena. It is the capital of the Logone-et-Chari department. It is a market town, and its population has recently been swollen by refugees from Chad. It had a population of 89,123 at...
in the country’s north-east. Most found refuge in two temporary sites, while many were hosted in schools, churches, and private homes, according to the United Nations.
The vaccination
Vaccination
Vaccination is the administration of antigenic material to stimulate the immune system of an individual to develop adaptive immunity to a disease. Vaccines can prevent or ameliorate the effects of infection by many pathogens...
campaign targeted all infants and children comprised in applicable age groups, across the district, ensuring protection for Cameroonian and refugee children alike. More specificall, all infants and children aged above six months and below 15 years were vaccinated against measles, while the vaccination against poliomyelitis targeted all those aged under five years, including newborns.
Figures released on 21 February 2008 show that a total of 35,615 children were vaccinated against poliomyelitis, while 32,624 were vaccinated against measles. Vitamin A
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a vitamin that is needed by the retina of the eye in the form of a specific metabolite, the light-absorbing molecule retinal, that is necessary for both low-light and color vision...
supplement tablets were also provided to approximately 34,000 children along with the vaccinations.