The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Refugees are crying out in advance for easy access to the jab in the next batch of vaccines expected soon
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Refugees living in urban areas have asked to be included in the Covid-19 vaccination exercise.
Amudu Jean Pierre, a refugee who arrived in Uganda from the Democratic Republic of Congo-DRC, in 2012 is worried about infection because of his job as an interpreter, fixer and defender of refugee rights in Uganda.
It took Jean four incidents of being bounced before he finally got his first COVID-19 jab at the Makerere University Hospital in April.
Jean says that because he interacts with a lot of people trying to secure bail and bonds, legal documents and helping refugees settle in, when he heard immunization was finally open for whoever wanted to, he thought he would easily be considered.
He was bounced four times until he presented an identity card as someone who was doing work for the Refugee Law Project of Makerere University. His refugee identity card issued by the Office of the Prime Minister could not help.
He says he is only lucky to have received his two jabs, but many of his colleagues are not vaccinated.
He adds that his mother aged more than 50 years failed to get vaccinated despite many attempts at different health facilities. The refugee cards were rejected in some places.
Amiable Serugo, a refugee from Burundi reveals facing the same problems. The 53-year-old who also lives with diabetes came from Kyaka refugee camp to settle in Kasubi in Kampala, so he can earn a living. He says that the nurse rejected his card and has since failed to get the jab.
“I couldn’t go back. She (nurse) said I bring another document with a proper number. I don’t have”, he responded when URN asked if he ever returned to a vaccination point. Dr Alfred Driwale who heads the Uganda National Expanded Programme on Immunization (UNEPI), says that they are unaware refugees were turned away. Acknowledging that refugees needed to show their cards, he said they designed the programme to accommodate everyone irrespective of their nationality.
He says their criteria was based on the integrated refugee policy although he couldn’t reveal exactly the number of refugees so far vaccinated.
There are up to 1.5 million refugees who live in Uganda and according to the country’s receptive policy, they are supposed to access health services without any hustle just like the nationals. But they are now crying out in advance that with the next batch of vaccines expected soon, they should be given easy access to the drug.
They fear the surge in infections could sweep them out, considering that they are engaged in a lot of petty business especially vending jewellery and clothes in addition to hairdressing.
Jean for instance said the government should consider taking vaccination points to places where they can easily communicate with health providers.
He says a lot of them have already suffered from understanding the COVID-19 prevention messages which are largely run in English and the local languages. Even consent forms are not understood.
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