Background Since December 2019, the world has watched the rapid growth of a new pandemic, the COVID-19, a novel pandemic causing death and disruption of normal life. This COVID-19 continues to spread and poses serious threats to public health throughout the world. Even though vaccines are available, there is no guarantee of critical population vaccination, as there still exist stiff resistance to the uptake of the currently available vaccines. Purpose To assess nurses’ perceptions regarding the uptake of COVID-19 vaccines, determine the proportion of nurses vaccinated, as well as the associated factors influencing the uptake of COVID-19 vaccines, so as to alert decision makers on the possible limitations associated with the uptake of the vaccines in the nursing population in Fako Division, Cameroon. Methods This was a mixed method quantitative and qualitative study conducted in Fako Division. A multistage random sampling technique was employed to enroll participants into the study. We collected quantitative data from consented nurses through the use of a structured questionnaire from April 06th to June 2nd, 2022, and qualitative data from nurse leaders through focused-group discussion from June 3rd to 23rd, 2022. In the quantitative phase, we performed descriptive and inferential statistics using the SPSS Version 23.0 and in the qualitative phase, we performed a thematic content analyses and transcription. Results In the quantitative phase, we had more females 131(66.5%), and nurses aged 26-40years 90(45.7%). Most nurses worked in the maternity 49(24.9%). In the qualitative phase, 20(76.9%) were females. Regarding nurses perceptions of COVID-19 vaccines uptake, 133(67.5%) nurses had positive perceptions, and 26(07.6%) had “No trust” in the vaccines. Most nurses 109(55.3%) had not been vaccinated. Negative factors reported by nurses included the belief that the vaccines were dangerous and could cause death 120(60.9%) and 32(16.2%) said no one can influence them to change their minds about taking the vaccines. In the qualitative phase, a majority of the nurse leaders 15(57.7%) wished that COVID-19 vaccination should continue, but with accompanying research to eliminate side effects. It was observed that a majority of the nurse leaders 16(61.5%) had been vaccinated. The respondents reported some factors (belief factors, social influence and lack of knowledge), which had negatively influenced them from taking the COVID-19 vaccines. Conclusion Nurses perceived high relevance for the COVID-19 vaccines while a majority of the nurse leaders perceived that the COVID-19 vaccines are not safe, ineffective with numerous side effects, has a magnetic effect, politically motivated with bad faith, and has the possibility to cause infections. Furthermore, most nurses had not been vaccinated, but a majority of nurse leaders were reported to have taken a COVID-19 vaccine. Several negative factors including belief, social influence and religious factors were reported to have contributed to the lower uptake of the COVID-19 vaccines amongst nurses and nurse leaders in Fako division, Cameroon.

Background: Unsafe abortion is one of the commonest causes of maternal mortality and post-abortion care services have been acclaimed as the best remedy for this situation. Yet, high maternal mortality still prevails pointing to issues with the quality of services. The paper was designed to investigate women's motives for engaging in unsafe abortion; assess women's experiences on the quality of PAC services and identify the challenges women faced in accessing PAC services in Buea. Methods: This study recruited 10 participants in Buea. Using a structured interview, data was collected on women's motives for engaging in unsafe abortion; assess women's experiences on the quality of PAC services, and identify the challenges women faced in accessing PAC services in Buea. Thematic and grounded theory analytical techniques were used to organize and interpret the data. Results: Majority of women in Buea did not use contraceptives for different reasons ranging from personal, spousal consent, ignorance, and the fear of side effects of contraceptive use. The low contraceptive use accounts highly for unwanted pregnancy cases which results in the decisions to induce. Most of these women involuntarily engage in induced abortion, highly driven by second party influence like the request from spouse/partner, disappointment from the spouse, and fear of parents’ reactions; while some occur as a result of missed abortion. The quality of PAC services received by most of these women were merely emergency treatments without proper PAC activities like family planning counseling, provision of modern contraceptive methods, linkages to other reproductive health care services. Women in Buea encounter some challenges in the use of PAC services, pains associated with the procedure, the cost, the absence of some family planning methods, the absence of counselling before PAC and above all, non constant availability of blood in the bood bank for transfusion. Conclusion: This study concluded that most women in Buea engage in induced abortion on account of the pressure to terminate an unwanted pregnancy; resulting from low contraceptives use; desire to avoid problems from their spouses/partners as well as to pursue career ambition. Moreover, the quality of PAC services offered to women in Buea was emergency treatment; void of important aspects like family planning services, linkage to other reproductive health care services, and facilitating their social reinsertion and preventing future induce abortion.