Gulu District Health Department has registered a slightly low turn-up of locals for the yellow fever mass vaccination exercise against its expected target.
The first phase of the yellow fever vaccination exercise rolled out by the Health Ministry on June 9 ended on Tuesday in 51 selected districts across the country. Through the campaign, the government intends to increase population immunity and eliminate yellow fever epidemics in the country.
Gulu District Health Department had targeted vaccinating a total of 115,041 people aged nine months to 60 years in the 11 sub-counties within five days of the mass vaccination exercise. However, data obtained by Uganda Radio Network indicates that only 52,291 people (45 per cent) were vaccinated.
For instance, in Patiko Sub-county, out of 13,293 people targeted, only 4,710 people turned up for vaccination while in Owoo sub-county, a total of 4,928 people were vaccinated against the expected 12,458 people.
William Onyai, the Gulu District Health Educator told Uganda Radio Network in an interview on Wednesday that the turn-up of people for the exercise started on a low note but shot up towards the last day on Tuesday. Onyai says the majority of people who had rushed for the vaccination on the last day designated by the Health Ministry missed it.
According to Onyai, although the Health Ministry had scheduled the vaccination exercise for only five days, it has now been extended by two more days to accommodate those who missed it. He encouraged those who haven’t yet been vaccinated to seize the opportunity and get vaccinated to boost their immunity against the deadly disease.
Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the senior Public Relations Officer at the Health Ministry confirmed to Uganda Radio Network that the Ministry had indeed extended the vaccination exercise by two more days in order to ensure that more people get vaccinated.
Uganda is a high-risk country for yellow fever transmission due to less than 10 per cent of the population being immunized against it. In 2022, the country registered two confirmed cases of yellow fever in Wakiso and Masaka districts according to the World Health Organization (WHO).