Kawempe, Mulago hospitals to continue measles-rubella vaccination

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT  | The Ministry of Health has designated three hospitals to continue the Measles-Rubella vaccination campaign. They are Kawempe Regional Referral hospital, Mulago National Referral and the Kampala Capital City Authority health centre.

According to the health ministry, the posts have been set up to enable parents within Kampala, Mukono and Wakiso whose children were not vaccinated during the mass immunization campaign that ended on Tuesday.

Addressing journalists in Kampala on Thursday, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, the Minister of Health said that they were forced to set up the immunization centres following complaints from parents.

Records from the Ministry of Health indicate that nearly 19 million children from 95 percent of the immunization posts were vaccinated.

Dr Alfred Driwale, the programme manager of the Uganda Expanded Programme on Immunization says that they have received inquiries from more 100 parents seeking to know where their children can be immunised.

“Through our hotline, we have received many inquiries from parents who did not know where to take their children. Some of the parents were part of those who were opposed to the exercise initially but later after we explained to them the benefits, they decided to take their children for vaccination,” Dr Driwale explained.

Schools that have learners that were not immunized were requested to go to the respective district authorities and request for vaccination services.

“All schools that did not complete the process are advised to liaise with district health officers to vaccinate the children within the next two weeks,” Dr Aceng said.

It is estimated that the immunization campaign cost 66 billion shillings that was donated by health partners who include GAVI-the Vaccine Alliance, World Health Organisation, UNICEF and the government.

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