Ebola vaccination kicks off in Ntoroko district

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Vaccination against the Ebola virus has kicked off in Ntoroko district.

The vaccination which started on Wednesday is being conducted at Rwanyara, Musandama, Ntoroko Health Centre IIIs, Bweramule Health Center II and Karugutu Health Center IV.

The vaccination is a response to the Ebola outbreak in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo-DRC, which has affected 755 people since it was first reported in August this year.

According to the Health Ministry spokesperson, Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the vaccination is currently targeting only health workers.

He added that they have started with Ntoroko because it is one of the five districts that are at a higher risk of getting the virus due to its proximity to DRC. The other districts where vaccination will take place are Kasese, Bunyangabu, Kabarole, and Bundibugyo.

The focal person of the team carrying out the vaccination, Dr Bernard Opar, declined to comment about the details of the vaccination.

However, a member of the vaccination task force at Karugutu Health Center who preferred anonymity said that more than 40 health workers were vaccinated at the health facility.

“Everyone who is a health worker has been vaccinated because these are the first people that would get into contact with any suspected Ebola patient,” the source said.

The RVSV-ZEBOV vaccine is the first highly effective Ebola vaccine since the first outbreak of the disease more than 40 years ago. It was developed by the Public Health Agency of Canada in 2003 until it was licensed by Merck.

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