REPUBLIQUE DU CAMEROUN Paix-Travail-Patrie SERVICES DU PREMIER MINISTRE SECRETARIAT GENERAL REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON Peace-Work-Fatherland PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE SECRETARIAT GENERAL
PRESS RELEASE
Under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, Head of Government, H.E. Joseph DION NGUTE, this Thursday 8 October 2020, the 22nd session of the Inter-Ministerial Committee in charge of evaluating and monitoring the implementation of Government’s response strategy against the COVID-19 pandemic in Cameroon, was held.
The meeting focused on the updated situation of the coronavirus pandemic in Cameroon and the pre-evaluation of the start of the 2020/2021 school year, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
With regard to the epidemiological situation in Cameroon, the Minister of Public Health informed that to date, 21 203 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in our country, including 20 117 healed and 411 deaths. These statistics have led to an improvement in the cure rate, which is now 95%, and a regression in the death rate, which is now 1.9%. With the resumption of classes, specialist teams from the Ministry of Public Health are supporting the ministries of education in the fight against COVID-19, in order to ensure that teaching is carried out smoothly. In this connection, a massive screening campaign for teaching staff is underway.
Concerning the pre-evaluation of the start of the new school year, the Ministers of Basic and Secondary Education said that the resumption of classes is effective in nursery, primary and secondary schools throughout the country. They also emphasised that the level of participation recorded in the North West and South West Regions is very appreciable.
In order to comply with social distancing in schools, the number of pupils per classroom is effectively limited. The shift system is applied in schools with large numbers of pupils, and distance education continues. In addition, health policy measures and anti-COVID-19 protocols are applied in schools, and compliance with safety measures such as wearing protective masks, installing hand washing facilities and regular disinfection of schools are observed.
At the end of the meeting, the Prime Minister instructed:
- the Ministers of Basic and Secondary Education, to ensure that safety measures are always observed in schools under their different levels of education, as part of the fight against COVID-19 in the school environment;
- the Minister of Public Health, to relentlessly pursue the implementation of the response plan against the coronavirus pandemic. For this, he should continue to pay sustained attention to the active search for suspected cases within the community, and to the care of infected people;
- the Delegate General for National Security, in collaboration with the Minister of Public Health and the Minister of Transport, to increase vigilance at the borders, at this period of when there is a resurgence of the coronavirus in several countries;
- all ministers involved, to remain vigilant, committed, and determined in the fight against this pandemic, by ensuring that safety measures are effectively observed.-