Cameroon

Areas eligible for SMC and areas where SMC is implemented

Photo: Cameroon SMC map

Cameroon

# of children targeted

# of children reached

Coverage

Cycle 1

1,941,722

1,877,838

97%

Cycle 2

1,964,568

1,888,436

96%

Cycle 3

2003510

1947069

97%

Cycle 4

2025604

1922419

95%

Data from the NMCP of Cameroon

Monitoring for coverage and compliance

Photo: Anna Wang / MMV

Monitoring for coverage completeness

  • In Cameroon, the results of CPS coverage are reported in DHIS2.
  • The DHIS2 data are compared with the results of the external monitoring that is carried out at each cycle.
  • The method used is the Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS).
  • A coverage survey is performed every year.

Monitoring for compliance

  • LQAS is used to monitor compliance.

Measuring effectiveness

  • Efficacy is not monitored at yet.

 

 

Successes, action steps, challenges and solutions

Succeses

  • Member of chosen household leader to sensitize 5 neighboring households for the administration of second and third dose in two health areas.

 

Challenges

  • The change in timing with delay in finalizing strategies due to waiting for WHO guidelines.
  • Delay in the delivery of COVID-19 prevention equipment as they were not initially planned and budgeted for
  • Reduction in number of national supervisors to reduce risk of COVID-19 transmission
  • Substantial Increase in the budget
  • Insufficient domestic resources for SMC
  • Delay in procurement of SMC tools due to delay of the validation of tools
  • Lack of budget for pharmacovigilance activities
  • Inaccessibility of some areas during rains due to flooding
  • Limitation of mobile payment partner (network, coverage, hours, etc?)


Proposed solutions

  • The NMCP with its partners decided to push back slightly the start of the SMC to allow for good preparation.
  • The NMCP and PMI submitted a request to the Global Fund on SMC PPE kits. In the meantime, some kits were borrowed from other MOH services for the start-up of the SMC campaign
  • Increase in local and regional supervisors
  • Resources mobilization from other the government and other partners such as GF
  • Advocacy by the resource mobilization committee
  • Early validation of tools right after the validation of the strategy
  • Diversification of funding sources for 2021 SMC campaign
  • Organization of catch-up distribution in flooded areas
  • Diversification of payment mechanism in the upcoming SMC campaigns

Research priorities for 2020

  • Identify barriers to the implementation of SMC at the community level;
  • Identify areas not, or poorly, covered and catch-up with missed children;
  • Evaluate compliance of the SMC strategy by mobilizers-distributors;
  • Assess the coverage of target children with the three doses of treatment;
  • Access the feasibility and success of pilot approaches(leader-managed and electronic data collection)