About
Polio remains a serious threat in Cameroon, especially for children under five. Although wild polio was eliminated in the country in 2020, outbreaks from variant polioviruses continue to cause paralysis in young children.
A strong public health partnership
Because polio has no cure, protecting every child through vaccination is essential. In April 2025, Cameroon's Ministry of Public Health, working closely with CDC and other partners, carried out a nationwide campaign that vaccinated nearly 8 million children. This major effort demonstrates how strong partnerships and community-centered strategies can stop outbreaks and move the country closer to ending polio for good.
CDC and Cameroon's Ministry of Public Health work together year-round to improve immunization systems and detect and respond to outbreaks. With CDC support, Cameroon introduced the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) in 2022 and has since conducted several campaigns to protect young children.
The April 2025 effort was part of a coordinated regional initiative involving neighboring countries, helping to stop poliovirus from spreading across borders and reaching underserved or mobile communities. The campaign included: Chad, Nigeria, Niger, and the Central African Republic.
Reaching children where they are
From April 24–27, 2025, the Ministry deployed more than 29,000 vaccination teams across all 206 health districts. Most team members were local health workers serving the communities where they lived. Each team worked to ensure children received the oral polio vaccine and that data were accurately captured.
Teams relied on smartphones to report daily vaccination numbers, allowing supervisors to quickly identify gaps and adjust strategies in real time. Despite challenges such as long travel distances, weather, safety concerns, and vaccine hesitancy, teams adapted by adjusting vaccination hours, increasing communication with families, and leveraging local resources to stay safe and effective.
CDC's on-the-ground support
CDC's support during the campaign focused on data quality, planning, training, and monitoring. Dr. Etienne Dembele, an epidemiologist from CDC's Global Immunization Division, deployed to Cameroon and worked alongside Ministry teams in the Central and Littoral regions. He helped refine data collection tools, coordinated with immunization teams at all levels, and participated in training sessions to prepare vaccination teams.
During the campaign, Dr. Dembele worked directly with district health teams to review data, support supervisors, and troubleshoot implementation challenges. His efforts improved the accuracy of daily reporting and helped ensure high-quality vaccination activities.
- Dr. Njoh Andreas Ateke, the Deputy Secretary of Cameroon's National Immunization Program
Impact: millions protected, progress accelerated
The campaign vaccinated 7,799,047 children, exceeding the national target and achieving 104% coverage. This achievement reflects the dedication of community health workers, strong leadership from Cameroon's Ministry of Public Health, and sustained support from CDC and regional partners.
The campaign serves as a driving force for Cameroon's Ministry of Public Health to monitor diseases and work with partners to eradicate polio cases in the country – and prevent regional or international spread.
- Dr. Shalom Tchokfe Ndoula, the Permanent Secretary of Cameroon's National Immunization Program
Together, CDC and Cameroon's health ministry are strengthening surveillance, routine vaccination, and emergency response systems—laying the groundwork for a polio-free future for Cameroon.
- Dr. Etienne Dembele, CDC Epidemiologist
