As part of the implementation of the AfDB (African Development Bank) project, the result of cooperation between CEMAC and the said bank, a coordination meeting has been taking place in Douala from December 14, 2021, until the 16th, to better control the pandemic in the six CEMAC countries and the DRC. Specifically, it will first be a question of making an inventory of the current situation of prevention (including vaccination) and surveillance of the pandemic at the level of entry points (land, air and sea) of CEMAC countries and the DRC; discuss the project to implement a sub-regional mechanism to strengthen surveillance and early warning at entry points. In addition to these two objectives,
Taking part in this regional conclave, experts from the CEMAC countries and the DRC with skills in the management of this pandemic, the partners (WHO, the firm selected for the installation of the monitoring and alert system early warning detection and capacity building at borders, GIZ, CDC –Africa and the CEMAC Commission). The opening ceremony of this workshop was chaired by the Representative of the Minister of Health of Cameroon, with two speeches for the occasion namely, that of the Executive Secretary of OCEAC his vision on the project, with recognition of the CEMAC partnership /BAD and that of the WHO carried out by its Representative in Cameroon, for a detail on the pandemic in general and some actions related to the said project.
After the opening, the participants discussed the inventory of the current situation of prevention (including vaccination) and surveillance of Covid-19 at the entry points of the CEMAC countries and the DRC. In turn, presentations were made to gain an appreciation of the management of the pandemic.- harmonization of activities at entry points;
- the vaccination coverage rate by country;
- the acquisition of vaccines;
- resource mobilization;
- the regular holding of inter-country cross-border meetings;
- partnerships;
- sustaining the gains of the COVID response;
- sequencing and genomic surveillance capabilities.
- Harmonize actions at entry points,
- Strengthen sequencing capabilities by passing bioinformatics training,
- Fight against half info at all levels,
- Advocate for the mobilization of domestic and external resources,
- Insist on barrier measures,
- Put a focus on the entry points in the margin of a canvas,
- Implement the PANSS for those who have not yet done so,
- Insist on community surveillance at the local level of points of entry,
- Insist on surveillance at the level of health facilities,
- Organize cross-border close meetings.