At least 45,780 children aged between nine months and five years in Bududa District are being targeted in the ongoing national vaccination campaign against measles and rubella. Health workers in the district are administering the vaccines over five days, with the first two days focusing on schools before the exercise shifts to communities for the remaining three days.
Betty Mukyala, the Assistant District Health Officer in charge of Maternal Health, said Bududa has received 46,000 doses of the vaccine for the exercise. “We are going to work for five days, and we shall concentrate on schools for two days, today and tomorrow, and then the rest of the three days will be dedicated to communities,” Mukyala said.
She said vaccination posts have been established across the district to ensure that children, including those in hard-to-reach areas, can access the vaccines. Mukyala urged parents and caregivers to ensure that all eligible children are taken to the designated vaccination centres. The Deputy Resident District Commissioner, Ibrahim Mukamba, also appealed to parents and caregivers to support the exercise and have their children vaccinated.
“This is a government programme aimed at safeguarding the lives of our children,” Mukamba said. Mukamba warned individuals against spreading misinformation or attempting to sabotage the vaccination exercise, saying those involved risk arrest. He urged communities to support government health programmes and ensure that eligible children receive the recommended vaccines.
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can remain in the air for up to two hours after an infected person has left an area. Symptoms include high fever, cough, a runny nose, red and watery eyes, and a red rash that usually starts on the face before spreading to other parts of the body. Some patients may also develop small white spots inside the mouth known as Koplik spots.
Measles can cause complications including ear infections, diarrhoea and pneumonia. Severe cases may result in encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain, and death. Mukamba said measles had previously contributed to high child mortality in Uganda before the expansion of immunisation programmes. Gibert Mushangu, the Bududa District Vice Chairperson, urged parents and caregivers to cooperate with health workers and ensure that all eligible children receive the vaccines as recommended.
The vaccination exercise is being implemented through the Ministry of Health as part of the national effort to protect children against measles and rubella-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
