ReliefWeb

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) is a source of un-earmarked money created by the Federation in 1985 to ensure that immediate financial support is available for Red Cross and Red Crescent emergency response. The DREF is a vital part of the International Federation’s disaster response system and increases the ability of National Societies to respond to disasters.

CHF 129’083 has been allocated from the IFRC’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to support the Cameroon Red Cross (CRC) National Society in delivering immediate assistance to some 421,000 beneficiaries. Un-earmarked funds to repay DREF are encouraged.

Summary: A case of poliomyelitis was discovered in Far North region of Cameroon, precisely in the Kolofata health district along the border between Cameroon and Nigeria. Cameroon Government is currently preparing to launch a response immunisation campaign and strengthen epidemiological surveillance in the three Northern regions of the country, namely Adamaoua, North and Far North. CRC volunteers are involved in all the phases of this preparation and will contribute to the response by conducting social mobilization and facilitating epidemiological surveillance.

The polio immunization campaign organized by the Ministry of Public Health is scheduled to take place from 20 to 22 December 2011 and is targeting 1,684,784 children from 0 to 59 months. With this DREF allocation, CRC will contribute to the polio immunization campaign by providing direct assistance to 421,000 Children from 0 to 59 months in the Kolofata health district and in another 12 health districts of the three Northern regions of Cameroon targeted by the campaign.

This operation is expected to be implemented over 04 months, and will therefore be completed by 13 April, 2012; a Final Report will be made available three months after the end of the operation (by 13 July, 2012).