Recently, the State of Israel, though its Embassy in Cameroon was on humanitarian duty in the East region of Cameroon.
The initiative aimed administering 5,000 polio vaccines and the same number of vaccines against measles FREE to children under the age of 15 at the Gado-Badzere Refugee Camp.
Situated 250kms North of Bertoua in the East region of Cameroon, the Camp is amongst the largest in the sub-region with over 12,000 refugees from the Central African Republic. The inflow of refugees into the region is estimated at 5,000 people per week. On arrival, most of the refugees are tired, malnourished, weak and needing medical attention. The surface area covered by the camp is small, resulting in a very high population density and an increased risk of epidemics.
This is the context to which Ambassador Nadav COHEN, Ambassador of Israel to Cameroon could not be indifferent.
In partnership with the Delegation of Health in the East Region of Cameroon, the Cameroon Association of Pediatricians (SOCAPED), UNHCR, UNICEF and WHO, much needed medical assistance was made available to children in the camp.
Ambassador Nadav COHEN had initially planned to undertake a health project in the East region but decided to orientate his plan towards the refugees after he visited the camp and following specific requests for assistance by various organisations already working in the camps.
Some of the most important aspects of the initiative were firstly, the fact that the mobilization of four Cameroonian pediatricians through SOCAPED increased efficiency in the realisation of the initiative and secondly, a demonstration that local competences are available and can be used as first port of call in crisis areas. the initiative showed that YES, WE CAN!
The coordinator from SOCAPED, Dr Issa Ngosso-Tetanye, and the four pediatricians said that spending one week in a refugee camp was both richly rewarding and very humbling. They thanked the Embassy of Israel for the initiative that had given them such useful experience that they may not otherwise have had.
At the end of the project,
• 5,301 polio vaccines and 4,917 measles vaccines were administered
• In addition, the project Doctors made 531 consultations on other health issues outside their specific mission
• Useful partnerships were built with other organisations working with refugees at the camp
• ABOVE ALL, the smile on childrens' faces as they welcomed the delegation was priceless.
by Harry Fon ACHA