Residents in islands demand door to door Covid-19 vaccination drive

Some residents in hard-to-reach areas of Greater Mukono have asked for a door-to-door vaccination drive after failing to access vaccination centres.

Ms Alice Namukasa, a resident of Kizilu Island said she has not yet been vaccinated due to lack of transport to the health facility.

"I missed out on being vaccinated due to lack of transport and I am worried in case of any other outbreak. We have our leaders who know us and can direct the health workers to our homes so that we can get vaccinated just like any other citizens," she said.

Mr Rogers Kiwanuka a resident of Koome Island decried the unfairness and discrimination in the distribution of vaccines as they are considered last because of transport hardships.

“Government should always start with us since we live in the islands because we are also human beings who need health care," he said.

Ms Mary Namuli, a resident of Buyoka Island Kiyindi in Buikwe District, who is physically disabled said government should assign medical officials to vaccinate all people on islands just as it assigned UPDF officers who are fighting illegal fishing in all islands of Greater Mukono.

“When you reach out to islands, you find very many UPDF officers, therefore, health officers should also be very many and move to every home to vaccinate us," she said.

She noted that as a PWD, she wasn't able to move to the vaccination centre because she lacks a wheelchair and yet she also wants to protect her life against Covid-19.

The Mukono District Health Officer, Dr Stephen Mulindwa, said they are 17 islands in the district and they made all efforts to vaccinate people there.

"94 per cent of people in the islands were vaccinated and those that haven't are people who keep on moving from one island to another," he said.

He noted that as leaders they requested the government to provide them with Johnson and Johnson vaccines to help vaccinate people in hard-to-reach areas and it was actually done.

Dr Mulindwa said the cumulative number of people vaccinated for the first dose is 270,111 and for the second dose is 360,604 which is a very good number.

Dr Olive Sentumbwe Mugisa from World Health Organization said that some people faced problems with transport during Covid-19 and failed to be vaccinated including expectant mothers.

"It's not only in Uganda that some people had myths or negative attitude towards the vaccines but even in the different parts of the world," Dr Sentumbe said, noting that Uganda has done relatively well in vaccinating people against Covid-19 compared to other countries.