Ministry Of Health Launches the Second Round of Door To Door Polio Vaccination Campaign
The Ministry of Health has launched the nationwide second round of the door to door Polio Vaccination Campaign targeting 8.7 million children under 5 years of age using Oral Polio Vaccine. According to Dr. Ruth Aceng, the Minister for Health, “on August 25th 2021, the Ministry of Health declared a polio outbreak following detection of the virus in the sewage network in Kampala. This is a matter of great concern requiring all of us to double our efforts to ensure no outbreak occurs in our country. Therefore, it is against this background that the Ministry launched the first round of the mass polio vaccination exercise in January 2022.”
Speaking to Religious Leaders of Kagadi District, Ms. Theodora Kajumba from the office of the District Health Officer said that it is important to note that this campaign does not replace the routine immunization services. This is a supplementary service that offers additional protection to the target age group against Polio.
Theodora added that this is a national exercise. She however noted that due to the ongoing Ebola outbreak, the campaign will not take place in the Districts of Mubende, Kassanda, Wakiso, Mukono and Kampala Capital City.
Meanwhile the Kagadi District Health Educator Ms. Mwebaze Justine Aisha called upon all religious leader to pass on the message to all parents and caregivers to cooperate with the health teams to ensure that all children under 5 years in their households get vaccinated against Polio.
She added at the immunization will start on 4th-6th November for Buyaga East and 8th to 10th November for Buyaga West.
Poliomyelitis (polio) is a highly infectious viral disease that largely affects children below 5 years of age. The virus is transmitted by person- to-person through the fecal oral route and affects nerves. It can be prevented by practicing good sanitation and hygiene and vaccination using the Oral Polio or Injectable Polio Vaccines.
The campaign will take place from 4th to 10th November, 2022 across all districts in Uganda except Mubende, Kassanda, Wakiso, Mukono and Kampala Capital City.
