KABALE – The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with Kabale district, is set to launch a large-scale vaccination campaign against yellow fever as part of the Uganda National Expanded Programme on Immunisation (UNEPI).
The campaign aims to immunize an estimated 200,000 individuals aged nine months to 60 years throughout the district.
Scheduled to take place from 9th to 13th, June 2023, the campaign will be conducted at various locations, including health facilities, schools, churches, markets, and community outreach programs.
Alfred Besigensi, the Kabale District Health Officer (DHO), stressed the significance of the campaign, emphasizing its role in safeguarding the public against yellow fever and meeting international travel requirements.
The DHO highlighted that a single dose of the yellow fever vaccine provides lifelong protection, eliminating the need for booster doses. Besigensi urged the public to take personal responsibility for their health and the well-being of others by actively participating in the vaccination program.
Yellow fever remains a concern in Uganda, as the country is categorized as a high-risk nation for the disease. Globally, 40 countries, including 27 in Africa and 13 in Central and South America, are considered high-risk areas for yellow fever outbreaks. In 2022, Uganda was among the 14 African nations that reported yellow fever cases.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified Uganda under the Eliminate Yellow Fever Epidemics (EYE) Strategy, aiming to eliminate yellow fever outbreaks. Over the years, Uganda has experienced several yellow fever outbreaks in various districts.
Recent cases were reported in Buliisa, Maracha, and Moyo districts in 2020, Masaka and Koboko districts in 2019, and Masaka, Rukungiri, and Kalangala districts in 2016. In 2010, ten districts in Northern Uganda also documented yellow fever cases.
As neighboring Kenya investigates an ongoing yellow fever outbreak, Uganda is taking proactive measures to prevent the spread of the disease and protect its population through comprehensive vaccination campaigns.
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