Since September 18, it has become mandatory for unvaccinated healthcare staff at Batouri District hospital, in the Eastern region, to present negative  Covid-19 test "every three days".  According to Dr. José Andjembe Essola, director of this health facility, the measure is aimed at quickly detecting and managing the most at-risk unvaccinated people since it is not mandatory to be vaccinated against Covid-19.

To date, only 78% of the staff of this hospital is vaccinated against the coronavirus, we learn. For the director, this percentage is still below the Minister of Public Health’s prescription which is to have all staff working at hospitals vaccinated against the virus.

To achieve the 100% coverage rate for hospital staff, last September 10, the Batouri district hospital set up a committee whose mission was to monitor the vaccine status of its staff.  Every day, the commission will update the number of staff already vaccinated and sensitize the unvaccinated ones by dispelling misinformation about the Covid-19 vaccine while insisting on its benefits.

According to data obtained by SBBC, the Eastern Region officially had 4,310 confirmed positive cases and 70 deaths as of September 1. Some 172 health workers had been infected, with three deaths recorded. The regional delegation of Public Health claims to have vaccinated 32,212 people (out of a target population of 40,814) with AstraZeneca and Sinopharm vaccines, of which only 4,270 have received their full doses. As for healthcare workers, 2,972 have received the first dose and 1,199 for both doses.

Patricia Ngo Ngouem