Gov’t receives 10,000 vaccine doses to fight against Mpox.

The information was made known by authorities during the first coordination meeting of the Mpox Incident Management System, IMS.

The meeting took place at the Public Health Emergency Operations Coordination Centre in Yaounde. The focus, officials said, was to outline the operational framework for the vaccination campaign.

Public health authorities are said to have stated that since the arrival of the first doses on March 31,2026, IMS officials have been refining a targeted deployment strategy aimed at ensuring maximum impact and priority for high-risk and outbreak zones, with vaccination set to begin April 10. 

It is expected to cover the health districts of Bangue, Bonassama, Cité des Palmiers, Deido, Dibombari, Japoma, Logbaba, Nylon and Yabassi all in Douala.

The centres are said to have been identified as the epicentre of the epidemic. Health authorities have in the past weeks, intensified efforts to contain the spread of the virus in affected regions.

At the close of the first IMS, health authorities adopted a ring vaccination approach, also referred to as belt vaccination, which focuses on immunizing individuals who have been in contact with confirmed cases, as well as frontline healthcare workers.

The strategy, it was said, is designed to curb transmission chains and enhance community-level protection.

Beyond vaccine distribution, IMS coordination meetings, according to authorities, also sought to address key logistical components, including the deployment of vaccination teams, training of healthcare personnel, and mobilisation of resources. 

Sources noted that the meeting also sought to build a strong strategy on public communication to enhance trust and encourage community participation in the vaccination drive.

Officials noted that meticulous planning is intended to guarantee both the safety and effectiveness of the campaign ahead of its official launch in the coming days.

Epidemiological data presented during the meeting showed that as at March 30, 2026, there were a cumulative total of 202 suspected Mpox cases nationwide, with 37 confirmed infections reported across several regions, including Centre, Littoral, South West, East and North West and no fatalities have been recorded so far.

Reports revealed that between March 25 and April 1, five new confirmed cases emerged in health districts such as Deido, Japoma, Yabassi and New-Bell. Additionally, 30 new suspected cases were reported across multiple regions.

Two health districts viz; Yabassi and New-Bell in the Littoral Region, we gathered, have recently entered an epidemic phase, bringing the total number of affected health districts to 18 since November 2025. 

Health authorities are said to have reported that six cases remain active as surveillance and response efforts continue nationwide.

This article was first published The Guardian Post Edition No:3756 of Friday April 10, 2026