Over 14m people set for yellow fever vaccination

At least 14.5 million Ugandans between the age of one and 60 years are expected to be vaccinated against the deadly yellow fever disease during the second phase of the mass vaccination exercise that kicked off on April 2.

Dr Fred Nsubuga, the national focal person for the vaccination campaign in the Ministry of Health, told Monitor on April 2 that the exercise will be conducted in 53 districts in Greater Masaka districts, Ankole , Teso and Karamoja sub-regions.

Dr Nsubuga said the vaccination campaign will go on until April 8, 2024 and that Ugandans should take advantage of the free service to boost their immunity and guard against disease.

“We encourage the targeted population to go for vaccination because the vaccine is more than enough. One injection is enough to give you lifelong protection,” he said.

He, however, said those already vaccinated should not go back for another shot.

Ms Amuron Florence, a nurse at Alive Medical Services in Kisugu Parish, Makindye Division, said about 50 people, including three children, had been vaccinated at the facility by press time.

Ms Amuron said the vaccination exercise at the centre started at around 11am due to delays in securing vaccines occasioned by long queues at the distribution centre.

She said the exercise will help millions of Ugandans to access a service that had been a preserve for those travelling abroad.

“I attempted to access free vaccination during a campaign that was organised by the Uganda Revenue Authority in 2017, but I didn’t not succeed. People were very many. I stood in a queue for almost six hours and I gave up before I could be attended to, “she said.

Ugandans have been spending about Shs100,000 to get vaccinated against the disease in private health facilities.

Mr Godfrey Mangeni, a member of the Village Health Team (VHT) in charge of Kisugu Market area in Makindye Division, said the exercise went on smoothly and that more vaccination centres would be established at places of worship to reach out to a bigger population.

Dr Nsubuga noted that Uganda has in the past decade been hit by more than 10 yellow fever outbreaks and it is important for Ugandans to  get vaccinated  and stay safe.  He revealed that about 33 percent of the patients who contracted yellow fever in Northern Uganda between 2010 and 2011 outbreak succumbed to the disease.

“Outbreaks are common these days because they are nearly occurring every year. The risk assessment that was conducted in 2020 and categorized the regions into high risk and moderate, “he said.

The first phase of free yellow fever campaign was launched in Lira in June 2023, and covered the high risk districts of Kabale, Arua, and Lira.

The second phase will cover the Ankole, Masaka, Soroti and Moroto while the last phase will cover Jinja, Mubende and Mbale.

Mr Emma Ainebyoona, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Health, said the second phase of vaccination will be officially launched by the Health Minister, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, in Buikwe District tomorrow.

Ainebyoona said the vaccination exercise kicked off in government facilities and some schools and that a similar exercise would be conducted in communities and health facilities to enable other members of the populated within the targeted districts to get vaccinated.

Mr Ainebyoona urged members of the public to embrace the exercise.

ABOUT THE DISEASE
According to the World Health Organisation, yellow fever is a serious infectious disease transmitted by mosquitoes that bite mostly during the day.

The yellow fever symptoms include; fever, yellowing of the skin and eyes, (hence the name yellow fever), dark urine, abdominal pain with vomiting and bleeding can occur from the mouth, nose, eyes, or stomach. 

[email protected]