By Charles katabalwa
NATIONAL
The Ministry of health has announced that they will vaccinate over 19 million Ugandans aged between 1-60 years with preventative yellow fever vaccination in April.
This is the second phase of mass yellow fever preventive vaccination and the exercise will according to the ministry take place in 53 districts for a period of 7 days from 2nd April to 8th April 2024, thereafter a third phase likely to take place in October this year or early next year.
Ronald Miria Ocaatre, the Assistant Commissioner of health services in charge of health promotions and communication at the ministry, said during the sensitization meeting of Cultural leaders, religious leaders and media in kampala today that Uganda is one of the 27 yellow fever endemic countries in Africa with the highest risk of transmission stressing the need to collectively eliminate it.
Despite the introduction of the yellow fever vaccine in the routine immunization schedule, Ocaatre said, “the national covarage has remained low at 29 percent.”
He urged Ugandans to get vaccinated and stated that the vaccine is safe and effective where a single dose provides life long protection against yellow fever.
