SOCIAL VACCINE PROGRAM OF THE FIRST LADY

Programme to fight STI/HIV Aids and other pandemics


first-lady The Social Vaccine Programme is one of the humanitarian actions of the First Lady. Placed under the direct supervision of the services of the Prime Ministry, it makes use of pedagogic sensitization strategies, didactic transposition of the social vaccine books, Chantal BIYA Multimedia-video Conference Centers, Radio Slots, CD-ROMS for auto training of teachers in the domain of the fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS and other pandemics. The Programme is intended to inculcate life-skills and develop basic competences in young learners, change behavior in adolescents and adults with the design of avoiding infection and/or re-infection of HIV &AIDS and all other pandemics within the education community and the society at large.
In a nutshell, this programme is the pedagogic approach which is determinant in the Fight against the spread of STIs, HIV & AIDS, COVID-19 and all other pandemics in the education milieu and the society in general. Cameroon is a pilot country for the programme in Africa South of the Sahara. In effect, in the absence of a Clinical Vaccine, and confronted with the necessity of a multisectorial approach to fight these pandemics, the pluridisciplinary and socialist character of the Pedagogic approach makes it the cornerstone on which we can rely to effect a veritable change of behavior in our society.

General objective

This programme sets out to have a world without infections by reducing substantially the spread of HIV & AIDS and all other pandemic-related infections to the barest minimum, if not to zero infection level, to achieve a future general void of all forms of infection.

Target population

This programme targets 5 500 000 pupils and students and over 130 000 teachers in Cameroon.

History

This programme is the brain child of Her Excellency, Madam Chantal BIYA, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadress for education and social inclusion, UNAIDS Special Ambassadress for the fight against STIs-HIV & AIDS and First Lady of Cameroon;
The birth of this programme, in November 2008, falls within the framework of the First Ladies humanitarian activities intended to improve on the lots of the underprivileged segment of the Cameroonian population and especially to secure the future generation using the education community as a springboard.
The ambitious character of this programme cannot be over-emphasized given the magnitude and gravity of the ravaging effects of the pandemics around the world.

Achievements

The program has several achievements to its credit
  1. This programme has contributed its own quarter to the reduction of the HIV & AIDS infection rate from 5.5 % in 2008 to 3.9 % in 2020;
  2. Over 30 000 teachers and about 1000 000 learners have been trained and sensitized on the fight against HIV & AIDS.
  3. It has produced since its establishment
    • The radio slots as a medium of sensitization on the fight against the pandemics.
    • The social vaccine books for pupils and teachers.
  4. Twenty eight (28) Chantal BIYA multimedia-video conference centers have been installed, and they are functional, across the ten regions of Cameroon. Twenty two (22) of these centers have been equipped with the fastest internet access through optic fiber and the rest through Wi-Fi. All these centers constitute part of the pedagogic package which has been offered to the education community free of charge by Her Excellency, Madam Chantal BIYA, and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadress for social inclusion.

Perspectives

The program plans to:
  • Production and distribution of the social vaccine books for pupils and teachers;
  • Acquisition and installation of more Chantal BIYA multimedia-video conference centers in strategic areas of Cameroon to promote distance education, tele-teaching, video conferencing in the context of COVID-19;
  • Organization of official launch campaign ceremonies of the social vaccine programme in more localities of Cameroon and
  • Extension of the program beyond the boundaries of Cameroon;

The latest news

Campaign against STIs/HIV-AIDS and other emerging pandemics in the educational and social community, organized by ICT University and the Social Vaccine Program, from November 17 to 21, 2025, at the Nyon Campus in Yaoundé. https://www.facebook.com/reel/1163048535805611/?fs=e&mibextid=wwXIfr

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Combating illiteracy, emerging pandemics and social vices in cameroon. First Edition of the Magazine on the Activities of the First Lady of Cameroon, her Excellency Madame Chantal BIYA, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Education and Social Inclusion in the education sector and the society - September 2024

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Ceremony of the handing over of the Golden Star Award to the National Coordinator OF the Social Vaccine Program, initiated by her Excellency Madame Chantal Biya.

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Message of the First Lady within the context of the Social Vaccine Programme

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