July 12: COVID-19 certificates, medical losses
Cameroon’s Halth Minister, Manaouda Malachie over the weekend gave two major updates on COVID-19 combat – one on air travel regulations and the other on loss of key health professional.
The Minister said flights to Cameroon will have to ensure passengers present virus test results before boarding. “Negative COVID-19 PCR test not older than three (03) days mandatory for all boarding passengers.
“Passengers who do not comply with this measure shall be prevented from travelling with these airlines,” the Minister added. The move is in line with latest regulations being imposed by countries reopening their airspaces to international traffic.
On the loss to the medical fraternity, the state-run CRTV reported the death on Friday of Dr. Anastasie Akamba, head of a district hospital in the capital Yaounde who died from COVID-19.
The state broadcaster said she had been in respiratory distress for days before succumbing. She was also the doctor for the Under-17 national women’s football team. The football federation confirmed the death last Friday, July 10.
“Deeply touched by this other big loss that we are registering within the medical professional, I would like to express all my compassion to the bereaved families. We will continue to improve the protection of health personnel throughout this crisis,” Minister Manaouda tweeted.
Confirmed cases = 15,173
Active cases = 2,886
Recoveries = 11,928
Number of deaths = 359
John Hopkins Uni stats valid as of July 13, 2020
Dr Anastasie Akamba, directrice de l’hôpital de District de la Cité Verte et médecin des #LionnesU17 est décédée ce jour des suites de maladie. Pensées émues pour la famille et ce serviteur du football féminin. pic.twitter.com/fKJm5ImfRC— Fecafoot-Officiel (@FecafootOfficie) July 10, 2020
May 2 – 3: Switzerland gives $5m support, health workers strike
Switzerland has donated three billion CFA francs to help Cameroon combat coronavirus, its ambassador Pietro Lazzer told state broadcaster, CRTV.
According to the diplomat, the amount is for humanitarian efforts. Aside the donation, his country was also coordinating support from Swiss companies in Cameroon to help in the response. He also touched on repatriation of nationals from Cameroon back home and vice versa.
He reiterated that Switzerland also fully backed the ceasefire calls in restive regions as advocated by the United Nations Secretary-General last month. “Violence needs to stop in this area because the fighting of COVID-19 is a priority,” he said.
Cameroon’s virus statistics as of May 4 stood at: 2,077 cases with 64 deaths and 953 recoveries. The country remains the most impacted in the Central Africa region.
Staff from the main #COVID19 response center in Cameroon on strike as they claim that despite being highly exposed, they haven’t received any pay or insurance. 150 were apparently dismissed. https://t.co/2Q2kIa1krO— Rebecca Enonchong (@africatechie) May 3, 2020
Health workers recruited by the Ministry of Public
