Yellow fever vaccine to be enrolled into routine immunisation

Ministry of Health has revealed that there is a possibility of introducing the yellow fever vaccine into the routine immunisation come May next year.

Dr Ruth Jane Aceng, the Health Minister on Wednesday said that they are currently working on the submission of the application for introducing the yellow fever vaccine into routine immunisation which they anticipate to submit to World Health Organisation and GAVI in May this year.

“We are looking at the time period of nearly one year for the process to be concluded by GAVI, the partners that contribute to this and the factory that usually has a small stock pile to manufacture this vaccine, so the tentative date for officially launching the yellow fever vaccination into our routine immunisation would be about May 2021,” Dr Aceng said.

Currently, hospitals charge about Shs100, 000 for the yellow fever vaccination. According to World Health Organisation (WHO), Yellow Fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes of the Aedes and Haemogogus species.

The Ministry of Health has confirmed an outbreak of yellow fever in Northern Uganda recently.

Dr Aceng revealed that the yellow fever vaccine arrived in the country on Tuesday and vaccination will be in four districts of Moyo, Buliisa, Yumbe and Maracha districts.

“We are now in the process of concluding the planning to commence the vaccination which will take place in four districts,” Dr Aceng said.

Dr Yonas Tegegn Woldemariam, the WHO country representative said about 1.8 million doses have been given to Uganda to be used in this campaign.

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