Last Updated on: 2nd June 2023, 10:32 pm
Lira, June 2, 2023: The Ministry of Health is prepared to use over 13 million doses of the yellow fever vaccines in June 2023.
Yellow fever is a serious disease that can lead to death and is spread by infected mosquitoes.
The vaccination targets the age group of 9 months to adults of up to 60 years. A population of 13,397,640 in 6 regions across the country is targeted to be inoculated.
Uganda is classified as a Yellow Fever endemic high-risk country. Meanwhile, the burden of yellow fever in Africa is estimated at 84,000–170,000 severe cases and 29,000–60,000 deaths annually, according to the World Health Organization.
Currently, there is low population immunity in Uganda and that’s why the Ministry of Health introduced yellow fever into a routine in October 2022 and has planned to conduct phased campaigns in 2023-2024, according to Dr Rita Atugonza who is the Deputy Program Manager of Uganda National Expanded Program on Immunization (UNEPI-MOH).
The yellow fever vaccination program is now integrated into Child Health Days (ICHD) on top of the other 13 immunizable diseases.
While speaking to journalists on June 30, 2023, at Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Dr Diana Atwine confirmed that the official launch of the yellow fever vaccine shall take place in Lira City on June 8, 2023.
The mass vaccinations, she says start on June 9 (Heroes Day) in the 51 districts across the country of Uganda.
“Whoever vaccinates and gets exposed to yellow fever prepares the body to fight back once the disease comes,” Dr Atwine said.
She added that those who have been vaccinated are not supposed to take another dose or a buster dose.
In 2022, Uganda became one of 14 countries in Africa to confirm cases of yellow fever. It was confirmed in Wakiso district.
Two years before, in August 2020, the yellow fever vaccination was launched in Moyo district and a total of 1.6 million people aged 9 months to 60 years old were expected to benefit.
The free excises targeted 6 districts in West Nile sub-region