Community meetings

From 22 to 26 May 2026, more than 100 community meetings were held in the Bafia and Ntui health districts. Convened by village chiefs with support from health workers and ISM, the meetings aimed to encourage participation in onchocerciasis treatment and select new community drug distributors (CDDs) to strengthen existing teams. Similar meetings took place in the Ebebda health district from 22 to 26 June 2026.

At each meeting, health workers explained how onchocerciasis is transmitted and discussed the factors that allow it to persist. Community members then selected CDDs and a community champion to help mobilise their village for the treatment campaign.

Participants also discussed how their communities could support the CDDs. Few concrete commitments emerged, highlighting the need for further dialogue about the conditions in which CDDs carry out their work.

Following these meetings, more than 1,300 existing and newly selected CDDs were identified to take part in treatment distribution.

Community meetings have long been part of efforts to combat onchocerciasis. We used this approach in the EMINENCE project because evidence shows that it can substantially improve the quality of mass drug administration.