Ignatius from Cameroon
Community Drug Distributor (CDD), Balikumbat Health Area, North West Region
Located in the Balikumbat Health Area in the North West Region of Cameroon, NGO partners and the Ministry of Health work together to provide treatment for onchocerciasis. Within this single health area, approximately 70 community drug distributors (CDD) go door to door to provide annual treatment with ivermectin to all eligible persons living in the village. As a CDD, Ignatius plays an important role in implementing the area’s treatment model, called Community Directed Treatment with Ivermectin (CDTI).
Ignatius became involved as a community drug distributor following his appointment by the local health council. Due to his poor eyesight, Ignatius travels with a fellow CDD to administer ivermectin. He discusses the importance of on-going treatment with the members of each household and measures the height of each person to determine the number of tablets they should receive, while his partner records the information in their community register. He says that while the work is difficult, he enjoys doing it. As a father of 7, he believes that by working for his community, he is helping families and children become strong and live lives that are onchocerciasis-free.
Ignatius is pictured with his wife, also an employee of the health center, during a monitoring and evaluation exercise.