Level of Community Health Worker’s Involvement in Yellow Fever Surveillance in the North West Region of Cameroon
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51699/ijhsms.v3i5.143Keywords:
Community Health Worker, Health Personnel, Yellow fever Surveillance, North West Region, CameroonAbstract
Yellow fever surveillance is essential for early outbreak detection and timely interventions. Community health workers (CHWs) are critical to this effort, yet their participation remains underexplored in the North West Region of Cameroon. This study aimed to assess the involvement of CHWs in yellow fever surveillance from 2021 to 2024, focusing on health districts in the region. Data from surveillance reports, notification forms, and interviews with health personnel (HPs) and CHWs were analyzed using descriptive statistics and geographic mapping. Of 427 suspected yellow fever cases, 419 were reported by HPs and only 8 by CHWs, indicating a 2% community involvement rate. These findings highlight an underutilization of CHWs in surveillance efforts, underscoring the need for better integration, training, and support to enhance community-level disease monitoring. Strengthening CHW participation could improve the effectiveness of yellow fever surveillance and outbreak response in the region.
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