A yellow fever response campaign was launched in Cameroon on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, aiming to vaccinate over 330,000 people nationwide. According to regional health sources, one-third of these vaccinations will be concentrated in the Far North region.
The campaign will take place in two main phases. The first, from February 25 to March 1, 2026, will target the Gazawa district, located in the Diamaré department, in the Far North. The second phase will be held from March 11 to 15 in the Fotokol district, in parallel with the health districts of Abo (Littoral) and Ngaoundal (Adamaoua).
Health authorities aim for a vaccination coverage of at least 95% of the target population, which includes people aged 9 months to 60 years, excluding pregnant women. In addition to administering the yellow fever vaccine, the campaign includes catching up on routine vaccinations for children aged 0 to 59 months.
Yaya Alhadji Adam, regional coordinator of the Expanded Program on Immunization for the Far North, explained that this initiative follows a resurgence of confirmed cases of yellow fever in Cameroon. In 2025, 29 confirmed cases were recorded in 22 health districts across the country. In Gazawa, which has approximately 88,015 inhabitants, 11 suspected cases have been reported, including two confirmed. Vaccination coverage there is low, estimated at 20% by health authorities, with a significant immune deficit due to the presence of vulnerable populations, including internally displaced persons and nomads.
Cameroon, identified as one of the 27 African countries at high risk of yellow fever, is committed, with the support of international partners, to eliminating epidemics of this disease by 2026. The country integrated the yellow fever vaccine into its national immunization program in 2004 and has conducted mass vaccination campaigns. Despite these efforts, cases of yellow fever have been reported since 2020 in several districts, highlighting the need to strengthen prevention and response strategies.
