Teachers in Kitgum opposed to the vaccination against covid-19 are buying vaccination cards without receiving the jab.
The Kitgum Resident District Commissioner William Komakech and COVID 19 Taskforce chairperson says that they have received information about teachers dodging vaccines and opting for fake documents.
Recently the government issued mandatory vaccination against COVID-19 for all teachers and non-teaching staff as one of the measures to expedite the reopening of schools.
Komakech says the claims come amidst reports of a low vaccine uptake amidst teachers in the district which currently stands below 60 percent despite mass mobilization and availability of the vaccines.
According to Komakech, the fake COVID-19 vaccination certificates are being sold by unscrupulous health workers at 30,000 to 50,000 Shillings each.
Fred Owot, the Kitgum District Education Officer decried the allegations and also warned teachers against purchasing fake COVID-19 vaccination certificates.
Kitgum Municipal Principal Education Officer Harriet Okot Atim says that teachers who refuse to receive the jab will be denied access to classes when schools reopen.
Some of the teachers who are hesitant to receive the covid-19 jab say that they are concerned about the misinformation of the vaccine.
The Kitgum Acting District Health Officer Dr Henry Okello Otto says that he is not aware of fake vaccination cards are being sold to teachers. Okello says that he will investigate the claims and subsequently take action
By Monday 432 teachers and 129 non-teaching staff in Kitgum municipality have so far been vaccinated while 507 teachers and non-teaching staff were already vaccinated in Kitgum district against the targeted 1,189 teachers in the entire district.
On Tuesday, the State House Health Monitoring Unit arrested three people accused of selling forged Covid-19 vaccination cards in Kampala.
Dr Warren Namara, the Director of the Unit said they received information that some people were selling fake vaccination cards each at 150,000 Shillings.