The Ministry of Health Uganda has intensified the rollout of routine and newly introduced vaccines following confirmed measles outbreaks in several parts of the country.
Health officials say the campaign, being implemented through Integrated Child Health Days and expanded community outreach, aims to close immunisation gaps and boost coverage among vulnerable populations.
Joanita Nalwanga, a national supervisor with the Uganda National Expanded Programme on Immunisation, said coordination at district level is being strengthened through planning meetings, resource mapping, and enhanced supervision to improve delivery and monitoring.
The rollout includes key vaccines such as the HPV vaccine for girls aged 10, the hepatitis B birth dose, and the measles vaccine. Districts are also being equipped with tools for self-assessment to improve accountability.
The intensified drive follows outbreaks in districts including Agago District, where authorities have launched emergency measures, including mass immunisation of children aged nine to 59 months, regardless of their previous vaccination status.
Health officials are targeting at least 95 percent coverage—considered necessary to interrupt measles transmission—with emergency procurement of measles-rubella vaccines already underway.
Nalwanga emphasised the urgency of district-led responses. “When an outbreak is declared, the response must be immediate. District health teams and facility in-charges are the first line of action and should not wait,” she said.
The campaign is being implemented under the Child and Adolescent Survival and Transformation (CAST Plus) programme, which integrates immunisation with broader health services, including screening for tuberculosis, HIV, malaria, hepatitis, and non-communicable diseases.
Amid the national rollout, Bugiri District has recorded five measles cases among children in the past week at Bugiri General Hospital.
The Medical Superintendent, Anthony Wamasyuwu, said the children came from Busowa, Buwunga, and Kapyanga areas, and had delayed seeking treatment, arriving with weakened immunity. All are now responding well to care.
He urged parents to seek immediate medical attention for children showing symptoms such as fever, runny nose, and persistent cough.
One mother said she initially relied on herbal remedies for five days before taking her two-year-old child to hospital when the condition worsened. The child has since improved after receiving treatment.
Health officials warn that reliance on unregulated herbal remedies delays proper diagnosis and increases the risk of complications. Authorities say the ongoing vaccination campaign is critical not only to contain current outbreaks but also to prevent future resurgences.
