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By Edward Akaki
Ministry of health Uganda recently announced the launch of mass vaccination campaign on yellow fever disease for all Ugandans aged between 9months and 60 years in a bid to phase out the disease in the country.
Through her communication to the press recently, Dr. Diana Atwiine the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health said the campaign will be launched from 8th to 13th June 2023 in districts of Kabale, Arua, Gulu, Lira, Kabarole and Hoima.
“We thank the media fraternity in Uganda, you have been our voice during COVID, Malaria campaign, Measles-Rubella even when we were dealing with Ebola. We are going to rely on you to ensure that Yellow Fever campaign is a success”~ Atwiine addressing the media on 30th May, 2023.
Upon visiting the Lira Regional Referral Hospital (LRRH) which is to host the launch tomorrow Wednesday 8th June, 2023 as the regional representative of the ministry, the Hospital director Dr Nathan Onyaci urged the public to embrace this campaign and get the vaccines which is a onetime jab.
He expressed his gratitude to the ministry officials for choosing Lira as a launching zone adding that this motivates the team to work even harder in order to bring services closer to the people in Lango.
Nanyonjo Judith the Senior Principle Nursing Officer, LRRH thanked the government for considering Lango to be the first place of the launch promising the region will surely embrace the vaccination process and will be an example to the other regions.
“We have been seeing children below the age of five years dying because of this preventable diseases just because they didn’t get vaccinated, am happy the yellow fever vaccine is now available for everyone and will surely help those that wish to travel aboard as it is a necessity in travels”, Nanyonjo added.
Egwali Selesh a resident of Lira City said he is not well versed with the disease but is willing to take the jab upon understanding the whole process. He however admits there has been limited publication of the Yellow fever campaign which he urged the stakeholders to intensify the campaign message for the local people to fully understand.
Recently in a publication by https://www.afro.who.int/ ,Uganda is a high-risk country for yellow fever transmission due to less than 10 per cent of the population being immunized against it, with sporadic outbreaks occurring every 3 to 5 years.
The recent confirmed cases have been reported from near urban areas, such as Kampala. Around 24 per cent of Ugandans (approximately 44 million in total) live in urban areas with roughly half of those living in slums. Urban outbreaks of yellow fever in densely populated areas with low population immunity and often with poor sanitation, can have catastrophic consequences.
Before this exercise was rolled out, many Ugandans were forced to pay up to a tune of 40 dollars which is equivalent to about 150,000/= in order to attain a certificate for travels abroad.
It is on this background that Ministry of health Uganda rolled out the mass vaccination of the yellow fever in the region.
Let’s vaccinate and chase yellow fever out of our generation
Ready to vaccinate
I have a daughter sick of yellow fever and I don’t wish it to anyone. Let’s vaccinate
Thanks Kigezi News for the awareness