Arua City Health
officials have been forced to extend days for Polio vaccination over a shortage
of vaccine carriers. The vaccination campaign targeting children aged below
five years kicked off on Saturday in Arua.
However, the
campaign has been hampered by inadequate carriers forcing health officials to conduct
the campaign in two phases up to Wednesday.
Vaccine carriers are insulated containers where vaccines are kept cold during transportation.
According to
Peter Aziku the Deputy Health Officer Arua City, they needed 890 cold boxes but
they received 469. Aziku said they have decided to divide the health staff into
two with the first one starting vaccination in the areas of Pajulu, Adumi, and
Ayivuni all in Ayivu West while the second group of health workers will resume
on Monday in the areas of Arua Hill, Oli Division, Oluko Dadamu, Manibe, and
Aroi.
// Cue in; We were expected to take...
Cue out; in the next phase. //
The health
officials have also involved the cultural, religious, and local council leaders
in addition to the VHTs to popularize the vaccination campaign.
Ismail Tuku
the Prime Minister of Lugbara Cultural Institution said the government should
consider sharing polio vaccines with the Neighboring DRC and South Sudan
because of the eminent polio risk in these countries.
//Cue in: “For us in Uganda particularly...
Cue out; …. Immunized against polio. //
At least 270
health workers have been trained to roll out the vaccination against Polio for six
days in Arua City.
A trace of
the Poliovirus was discovered last year in a lagoon in Entebbe and as a result
government through the Ministry of Health decided to roll out mass Vaccination
for Children below five years.
Polio Pandemic hit Uganda hard in 1983
and left a trail of physical disability in many children who are now 30 years
and above and since then vaccines have been rolled out to eliminate the
disease.
Candia Stephen
Freelancer