The Ministry of Health has expressed concern over the low turnout of mothers returning for additional vaccinations for their children after the initial doses. These vaccinations target key diseases such as diarrhea, polio, diphtheria, and hepatitis B, which require multiple doses.
According to the vaccine schedule, children are supposed to receive doses of oral polio vaccines, pentavalent, pneumococcal conjugate, rotavirus, and inactivated polio vaccines at six weeks, ten weeks, and fourteen weeks of age. However, data from the ministry indicates that the majority of children stop at the first dose.
During a media update about the October Child Health Days, Dr. Rita Atugonza, the Deputy Manager at the Uganda Expanded Programme on Immunisation (UNEPI), emphasized the country’s target of achieving at least 95% coverage of all childhood vaccines.
Despite BCG, a one-time dose against tuberculosis, having a high coverage rate of 98%, rotavirus vaccinations, crucial for guarding children against diarrheal diseases, show a decline. In 2022, only 93% received their first dose, dropping to 70% for the second dose, and a mere 11% for the third dose.
Concerning polio, the figures reveal that coverage with the first dose is at 94%, the second dose at 85%, and the third dose at 64% for eligible children.
However, Atugonza highlighted that their challenges extend beyond incomplete vaccination courses, as there are still thousands of children not receiving any routine vaccines, referred to as zero-dose children.
Speaking about zero-dose children, Atugonza stated that in 2022, there were 75,952 such children, an increase from 55,252 in 2021. The year 2020 witnessed the highest number of zero-dose children, with 142,858, attributed partly to challenges associated with the lockdown instituted to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Ronald Miria Ocaatre, the Acting Assistant Commissioner of Health Promotion, Education, and Communication in the Ministry, pointed out that anti-vaxxers, those opposing vaccinations, are contributing to the low turnout. To address this issue, the Ministry of Health, besides health facilities, plans to conduct outreaches in the community during October, giving special attention to child health. Vaccines will be provided to those who may not visit nearby immunization clinics.