Following the measures put in place by the government of Cameroon in the fight against the Corona Virus (Covid-19) on March 17, 2020 has not left anyone including UN Women indifferent. UN Women has therefore been involve in mobilizing and distributing sanitary and hygienic materials to the various sectors of the society including, youth, women and religious leaders. It is therefore on this basis that CAMYOSFOP has been selected as the lead youth organization to mobilize and distribute the materials from UN Women to the various youth groups. Madam Hind Jalel, the Resident Representative of UN Women country office for Cameroon noted during the handing over ceremony of the materials that, considering that youth especially young women are the future of every nation it is important to provide protection for them in such circumstance.
The sanitary and hygienic materials handed to CAMYOSFOP by UN Women will therefore be distributed to the National Youth Council and vulnerable youth groups in the neighborhoods of Briquiterrie, Okola and the Mbororo and pygmy communities in the Eastern Region of Cameroon.
The measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 adopted by the government of Cameroon on March 17 2020 are:
- Cameroon’s land, air and sea borders will be closed. Consequently, all passenger flights from abroad will be suspended with the exception of cargo flights and vessels transporting consumer products and essential goods and materials whose stop over time will be limited and supervised;
- The issuance of entry visas to Cameroon at the airport shall be suspended;
- All public and private training educational establishments of various levels of education from nursery school to higher education, including vocational training centres and professional schools will be closed;
- Gatherings of more than fifty persons are prohibited throughout the national territory;
- School and university competitions like the university games which are supposed to be held in the days ahead are postponed;
- Under the supervision of administrative authorities, bars, restaurants and entertainment spots will be systematically closed from 6pm;
- A system for regulating consumer flows will be set up in markets and shopping centres;
- Urban and inter urban travel should only be taken in cases of extreme necessity;
- Drivers of buses, taxis; motorbikes are urged to avoid overloading. Law enforcement officers will ensure that they comply;
- Private health facilities, hotels and other lodging facilities, vehicles and specific equipment necessary for the implementation of the COVID-19 pandemic response plan in Cameroon maybe repositioned as required by competent authorities
- Public administration shall give preference to electronic communication and digital tools for meetings likely to bring together more than ten people;
- Missions abroad of members of government and public and para public sectors, employees are hereby suspended;
- The public is urged to respect and observe the hygiene measures recommended by the World Health Organization, including regular hand washing with soap, avoiding close contacts such as shaking hands or hugging and covering the mouth when sneezing.
On April 10 considering the gravity of the situation the government announce the following seven additional measures:
- The general wearing of masks from Monday 13, April 2020 in all spaces open to the public. The Minister of Industry has been instructed to publish the technical standard for the mass production of these masks locally;
- The local production of medicines, protective masks and hand sanitizers by competent national institutions under the supervision of the Minister of Scientific Research, in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health;
- The establishment of specialized treatment centres for COVID-19 patients in all regional capital following the field hospital model to receive patients in case of a peak of the pandemic and to allow hospital to operate normally;
- Intensification of the COVID-19 screening campaign, with the collaboration of Centre Pasteur and its branches as well as other relevant health institutions. Emphases will be laid on already identified affected areas;
- Intensification of the awareness-raising campaign in urban and rural areas both in the two official languages and in local languages through complementary channels of communication to be defined by the Minister of communication with the support of administrative, municipal, traditional and religious authorities;
- The continuation of activities essential to the economy in strict compliance with the directives of 17th March and the measures recommended by the World Health Organization to prevent the spread of the disease;
- The systematic sanctioning of any breach of the restriction and confinement imposed on persons at risk.