Health authorities in Eastern Uganda have warned parents against resisting or sabotaging the ongoing nationwide Measles-Rubella vaccination campaign, saying children must be presented for vaccination regardless of their previous immunisation status.
The five-day campaign, which began on October 1, targets children aged between nine and 59 months and is being conducted at health centres, community outreach posts and selected schools across the country.
In Kumi District, health officials are targeting 46,968 children, with authorities attributing the campaign to gaps in routine immunisation and previous measles outbreaks in the district. Kumi District Health Officer Dr Emmanuel Ongala urged parents to take advantage of the free vaccination exercise and ensure their children are immunised.
“We are launching the Measles-Rubella catch-up campaign. We are aiming to vaccinate all children between 9 and 59 months. We encourage all parents to bring their children. Our target is 46,968 children in the next five days,” Dr Ongala said. He emphasised that the vaccine is free, safe and effective, urging parents not to pay for the service.
James Ikabat, the campaign’s central supervisor in Kumi, said all eligible children would be vaccinated regardless of whether they had recently received a measles-rubella vaccine.
“The Ministry of Health has designed this program to enable all children aged nine months to 59 months to be vaccinated against measles-rubella. This campaign comes following observed occurrences of the disease. Whether the child was vaccinated yesterday, he will have to be vaccinated today,” Ikabat said.
He said each vaccinated child would be issued a vaccination card, which parents should keep safely as proof of immunisation. Ikabat also urged parents to remain alert for symptoms associated with measles, including high fever, skin rash, cough, a runny nose and red eyes, and to report any adverse reactions following vaccination, such as fever or swelling.
He said the campaign was necessary because many children fail to complete the routine two-dose measles vaccination schedule.
“There is already a gap. In our routine immunisation, we have not reached the two doses that are required. The first dose is at nine months and the second at 18 months. Unfortunately, over 50 per cent do not come for the second dose. That is why we have been having outbreaks. This exercise is meant to bridge that gap,” Ikabat explained.
In Mbale City, health officials and local leaders launched the campaign with a strong warning against parents who deliberately prevent their children from receiving the vaccine. The officials said parents who hide their children or resist vaccination on religious or cultural grounds could face arrest and prosecution.
The campaign is targeting children aged nine months to five years, with the initial phase focusing on children in schools before health teams move into communities to reach those who are not in school.
Speaking during the launch at Nkonkojeru Primary School, Were Yahaya, the Deputy Resident City Commissioner for Mbale City Northern Division, warned parents against denying their children access to vaccination. Public Health Officer Mwishaka Moses, from the Ministry of Health, said measles can cause serious complications, including blindness, deafness and breathing difficulties.
Mbale City Mayor Joyce Kaducu urged parents to take advantage of the free immunisation exercise, saying it would help protect their children’s health and prevent possible health complications. She also encouraged them to present their children for vaccination when health officials reach their communities.
City Health Officer Dr Moses Mugenyi said the campaign follows recent measles outbreaks in the region, which he said pose a threat to children’s health and development. Health officials are encouraging parents and caregivers to use the campaign to close gaps in routine immunisation and prevent further measles-rubella outbreaks-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
