By Diana Egbe Arrey

The social vaccine program is a behavioral change campaign aimed at minimizing if not bringing to an end the spread of HIV/AIDS and other Sexually Transmissible Infections in the society through education and other pedagogic techniques.

According to the General Coordinator of the first Lady’s activities, Madam Mbah Rose, the program which is an initiative of the First Lady, Chantal Biya, targets over 5.5 million pupils and students, alongside over 1.300 teachers . she added that those targeted will in turn serve as vectors for the social effect that will be seen in the eradication of the AIDS pandemic in the society, to save future generations.

The pedagogically designed program  consists of books, CDs DVDs, radio spots with special contents and the video conferencing facilities. Madam Mbah revealed that the intervention of the First Lady in the sector is to curb the alarming death rate.

The General Coordinator further stated that Cameroon remains a pilot center for the campaign that may be extended to the entire sub African region considering the danger posed by HIV/AIDS on its population. While all this is going on, she noted that Kumba, Yaounde Douala Bafoussam are among cities in Cameroon with a high HIV prevalence rate.
Moreover, the president of the Chantal Biya International Reference Center, CBIRC, Professor Alexis Njiolo disclosed that some 420.000 Cameroonian children were leaving with the HIV virus. He further stated that the prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS in the South West region is at 5.5 % with over 80% of the virus contracted through sexual intercourse.
The Donation of the First Lady who doubles as the UNESCO’s Goodwill Ambassador on Education and Social Inclusion also witnessed the handing over of books and the inauguration of the regional multimedia video conferencing center at the Anne Gabonais Library in Kumba.