MoH: Only most vulnerable Ugandans to be vaccinated against mpox

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Health has revealed that only the most vulnerable Ugandans will be vaccinated against Mpox. Currently, at least 20 districts have been affected by the pandemic with Kampala having the highest number of cases of 55 followed by Nakasongola, Yumbe, Maracha and Arua.

Mpox is a zoonotic disease transmitted mainly from animals to humans and has clinical features of headache, fever, weakness, and sore throat among others and can spread quickly through contact, inhalation, contaminated materials and sexual transmission.

Edward Muganga the in charge Public Health Emergency Ministry of Health during an engagement on Mpox alert in Arua on Monday said the Ministry of Health is in the process of securing vaccines to start vaccinations, According to Muganga only most vulnerable groups of people in the country including front line Health Workers and other public servants, school children, districts bordering DR Congo and South Sudan, commercial sex workers, Boda Bodas will benefit from the vaccines.

Dr, Emmanuel Ocen Emergency Health Coordinator World Health Organization West Nile region said with vaccines, Mpox can be managed more easily though it tends to go away within 2 to 4 weeks if the infected persons observe health measures prescribed to them. “Uganda has Clade 1B of the Mpox strain which can be managed once the government secures the required vaccines,” said Dr. Ocen.

Dr, Stanley Anyigu, Health Officer UNICEF Arua Zonal Office noted that there is a need to increase awareness through Risk Communication and Community engagement. “As Unicef, we shall support all efforts to ensure that there is community awareness of the pandemic,” Anyigu explained.

Other interventions the Ministry of Health is currently undertaking to manage the Mpox disease awareness include: activating district task forces, engaging partners, national surveillance and epidemiology and school health programs. Mpox was discovered in DR Congo in 1970 and is known to be endemic in West and Central Africa.

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