Covid-19 jabs: Worst and best districts revealed

Rukungiri and the neighbouring Kanungu as well as Kasese and Buikwe districts have, relative to their total populations, administered more vaccines in the country. In absolute numbers, Kampala, however, tops with 31,012 immunisations.

A leaked Ministry of Health statistics report as at April 13 shows that the capital, Wakiso and Mukono, which constitute Uganda’s most populated metropolis, and Tororo, Hoima, Jinja, Masaka, Mbarara and Buikwe districts have inoculated the majority people.

On the other hand, Serere, Nakapiripirit, Amudat, Bukwo, Sironko – all in eastern and north-eastern regions – alongside Amolatar in geographical north, Buvuma in central and Kibaale in mid-western Uganda are the worst performing in the national Covid-vaccine uptake.

Uganda, which, according to the Health ministry, has so far registered 338 deaths out of 40,000-plus Coronavirus cases began vaccination on March 10 after receiving 864,000 Oxford- AstraZeneca doses of through Covax – the facility set up by World Health Organisation to enable poorer nations access Covid vaccines.

India donated an additional 100,000 doses, placing Uganda on course to inoculate at least 482,000 its citizens since each person must receive two doses for the vaccine to offer a better boost against the pandemic.

Overall, the government plans to vaccine 21.9 million of its estimated 44 million citizens in order to achieve heard immunity and limited vaccines mean the target is miles ahead of the country’s actual capacity.

In a televised address on Friday, President Museveni said the government would reopen officially closed bars and permit concerts only if more than 5 million Ugandans are vaccinated, which means the country would require to stock at least 10 million doses.
The limited access to the jabs prompted the government to ration the vaccines, giving priority to frontline actors such as health workers, security forces and teachers as well as high-vulnerability populations such as the elderly.

However, rather than a rush for the vaccines, official statistics show that many of the targeted first-line recipients are shunning the jabs.
For instance, Uganda Prisons Services is the best performing among security forces, with nearly nine out 10 of the vaccines given to it administered to its personnel inoculated.  They are followed by the army that have administered 75 per cent of the 70,000 jabs they received while police have used only 34 per cent of the 20,000 doses it received.

The statistics show that staff of Local Governments are the worst, with only 156,500 (26 per cent) of the 603,520 doses used.
Our analysis shows that just one in every five health workers registered to take the vaccine has received the jab. 

By comparison, teachers have performed better, with 8,517 of the 13,172 (65 per cent) registered having taken the shot by Tuesday, last week.
Dr Alfred Driwale, the head of immunisation programme at the ministry, blamed the low uptake of the vaccines on weak leadership and limited resources for community sensitisation.

“Vaccination is district-led and all districts have received Covid-19 vaccine doses. Our problem is at the district level. The district leaders are not taking action to make sure people take jabs, but our interest [as Ministry of Health] is the output,” he said when contacted yesterday.

List of how districts performed on Covid vaccination (In descending order) 

District      Vaccinated 

Kampala    31012
Rukungiri    4870
Tororo    4405
Kanungu    3934
Mukono    3732
Hoima    3441
Wakiso    3169
Kasese    2632
Jinja    2542
Masaka    2539
Mbarara    2521
Buikwe    2391
Busia    1895
Lira    1789
Zombo    1761
Bushenyi    1697
Gulu    1629
Iganga    1512
Mityana    1485
Pakwach    1457
Arua    1345
Kabale    1299
Kalungu    1239
Nakasongola    1198
Kumi    1187
Butaleja    1138
Isingiro    1133
Kyotera    1058
Mubende    1058
Mbale    1057
Yumbe    998
Katakwi    975
Ntungamo    975
Namisindwa    973
Rakai    926
Ibanda    925
Budaka    904
Rubanda    859
Kisoro    843
Bududa    828
Kayunga    814
Bukomansimbi    808
Lwengo    804
Kabarole    777
Soroti    740
Bukedea    662
Bundibugyo    650
Kamwenge    615
Kitagwenda    594
Pallisa    592
Rwampara    589
Kaliro    581
Masindi    530
Terego    526
Nebbi    525
Kiboga    491
Mitooma    489
Bugweri    472
Kakumiro    466
Kotido    461
Koboko    458
Buhweju    452
Butebo    437
Luuka    430
Mayuge    430
Apac    413
Adjumani    412
Rubirizi    408
Kalangala    407
Maracha    407
Bugiri    399
Lyantonde    392
Kiryandongo    387
Madi-Okollo    384
Kitgum    378
Bulambuli    363
Luwero    342
Lamwo    339
Amuria    307
Kaabong    304
Mpigi    299
Oyam    297
Kyenjojo    296
Dokolo    289
Abim    285
Moyo    283
Sheema    280
Kikuube    274
Bunyangabu    270
Kwania    269
Namutumba    258
Kibuku    239
Napak    232
Kiruhura    230
Moroto    228
Agago    225
Kween    217
Obongi    216
Manafwa    215
Kole    210
Kalaki    206
Kyegegwa    205
Rukiga    203
Sembabule    202
Kapchorwa    188
Gomba    187
Ntoroko    186
Kapelebyong    180
Alebtong    166
Butambala    165
Buliisa    149
Nakaseke    148
Namayingo    147
Pader    145
Kamuli    142
Omoro    140
Kazo    136
Kagadi    118
Kassanda    118
Kyankwanzi    115
Buyende    110
Karenga    98
Nwoya    95
Nabilatuk    93
Kaberamaido    90
Ngora    82
Sironko    70
Otuke    67
Bukwo    62
Kibaale    57
Amolatar    53
Buvuma    50
Amudat    48
Amuru    45
Nakapiripirit    45
Serere    42

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