At the Muyuka District Hospital located some 27 kilometres away from the Cameroon’s Southwestern regional capital, Buea, women sing songs about vaccination.
They have gathered with their children ranging between zero to 6 weeks, ten weeks, 14 weeks, nine months, and six years of age. That is because a crucial campaign – the immunization of children against several diseases including polio, IPV, yellow fever, HPV and measles among others is taking place.
That was on April 30, 2026 as they commemorate the final day of the Africa Immunization week which had begun six days back.
However, beyond the songs, the vaccination and health talks at the district hospital are people whose praises are hardly sung – the Community health workers.
These individuals have dedicated their lives to saving lives in one of the hot spots of an armed separatist conflict that has plagued Cameroon’s two western regions. Despite the armed conflict raging for 10 years, they never left. They stay and responded to health challenges that people were facing at home, helping them to access treatment.
Health worker serving for passion
But at the hospital hall while authorities speak, they sat on the back benches. The spotlight is not on them, but they remain the health architects behind the gathering of the women who came with their babies.
One of them is John Enow Eyong. He has been a community health worker at old road Muyuka Health District for over two decades.
Enow’s routines among others are moving from door to door every day, advising women on various vaccinations and the importance of vaccine in a child.
It is a delicate work for someone in a conflict zone, but for the 69-year-old, it is the passion to save lives.
“At the peak of the war between 2018 and 2021, I will hear the gunshots then run and when they stop, I come and continue” Eyong said.
“I am so motivated because of the love I have for my community. I want my community to be healthy” he added.
Despite the little pay which he said does not amount to anything, he has remained focus to saving lives.
For over 20 years, his desire to help his community has not gone unnoticed. On that April 30 as they finalise the Africa immunization week 2026, Eyong and four other community workers were appreciated by Dr Njang Mbeng Emmanuel, District Medical Officer of the district health service Muyuka.
Rare Recognition
Apart from the praises of beautiful words, Dr Njang showered them with gifts for their wonderful work.
“In 2021, Muyuka Health District had a vaccination rate of about 30 percent but over the past five years, we have improved up to over 80 percent” Dr Njang said
“This is thanks to the ministry of health and his partners, efforts of our stakeholders in the Muyuka Health District – from the directors of head of facilities to the community health workers and to the parents themselves” he added.
However, the community health workers have pledged to continue the relentless work for the service of Muyuka Health District.
“Till today I am still very active and ready to service” Eyong with a smile beaming from his face said.
“Since I started vaccinating my child, he has never fallen sick. He is always healthy” says Gwanpu Vigina, a mother of two who came for vaccination at the facility.
While the Muyuka mothers cherish the doctors work administer the vaccines on their children, the work of the community health workers who go into the communities to drum the importance of vaccination can’t be underrated. They continue to do so despite a challenging conflict environment.
