• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Lifestyle
Over 18 million children to be immunized against Measles, Rubella throughout the country

Covid-19 disrupts Uganda’s immunization program

May 20, 2020
How Afro Mobile is supporting the creatives and Arts industry

How Afro Mobile is supporting the creatives and Arts industry

February 7, 2023
Kenya starts teaching parents how to protect children online

Kenya starts teaching parents how to protect children online

February 7, 2023
Turkey declares three month state of emergency in earthquake affected area

Turkey declares three month state of emergency in earthquake affected area

February 7, 2023
Drug Authority warns public over pastor Kayanja “medicine”

Drug Authority warns public over pastor Kayanja “medicine”

February 7, 2023
Museveni, Ramaphosa to attend Uganda-South Africa business summit in Pretoria

Museveni, Ramaphosa to attend Uganda-South Africa business summit in Pretoria

February 7, 2023
Kayihura orders for arrest of any police officer moving alone with a gun

MPs question salary disparities in UPDF, puzzled with huge salaries of Generals who do “nothing”

February 7, 2023
Police say 80 year old Kasese “NUP supporter” was ADF agent; explain his death

Police say 80 year old Kasese “NUP supporter” was ADF agent; explain his death

February 7, 2023
Ask the Mechanic: 11 reasons the check engine light comes on  

Ask the Mechanic: 11 reasons the check engine light comes on  

February 7, 2023
Auditor General pins NSSF on suspense accounts

Auditor General pins NSSF on suspense accounts

February 7, 2023
Ibrahim Sekagya named as New York Red Bulls II head coach

Ibrahim Sekagya named as New York Red Bulls II head coach

February 7, 2023
Logo
  • News
    • Politics
    • Business
    • 2021 Elections Watch
      • The Election Podcast
    • Exclusive
    • Investigations
  • Education
  • Security
    • Cyber Security
  • Health
    • Coronavirus outbreak
  • Opinions
    • Columns
      • Parting Shot
      • Two Sides of a Coin
      • Bazanye’s Quick Shots
      • Mable Twegumye Zake’s #BitsOfMe&You
      • But this Year!
      • What Did I Miss?
  • Lifestyle
    • Hatmahz Kitchen
    • Food Hub
    • Let’s Talk About Sex
    • Entertainment
    • Tour & Travel
    • Love Therapist
    • Homes
  • Global
    • Africa
    • Asia
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • The Americas
  • East Africa
    • Kenya
    • Rwanda
    • Tanzania
    • South Sudan
    • DR Congo
    • Ethiopia
    • Sudan
  • Technology
  • Ask the Mechanic
  • Special Reports
    • Kabaka Mutebi’s 25th Coronation Series
    • Focus on Somalia
    • Sino-Africa
    • Uganda at 56
    • Anti-Corruption Fight
    • Age Limit Map
    • Tuve Ku Kaveera
  • Sports
    • Place-It
    • StarTimes Uganda Premier League
    • Bundesliga
    • World Cup
  • Jobs
No Result
View All Result
Logo
No Result
View All Result
Home Health Coronavirus outbreak

Covid-19 disrupts Uganda’s immunization program

As has been the case with many sectors in the country which have been greatly affected by the deadly Coronavirus, the health sector has not been left out after the country’s immunization program was disrupted.

Kenneth Kazibwe by Kenneth Kazibwe
May 20, 2020
in Coronavirus outbreak, Health, News
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0
Over 18 million children to be immunized against Measles, Rubella throughout the country

As has been the case with many sectors in the country which have been greatly affected by the deadly Coronavirus, the health sector has not been left out after the country’s immunization program was disrupted.

In April, Uganda received 3,842,000 doses of bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV) to support routine immunization services throughout the country whereas 810,500 doses of Pentavalent Vaccines also procured by UNICEF with funding from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance arrived in the country later.

Every month, the Health Ministry provides 141,600 vaccines for the routine immunisation exercise but following the announcement of a total lockdown of several services across the country including both public and private transport means, several mothers could not afford walking long distances to take children to health facilities for immunization.

According to Dr. Alfred Driwale, the Program Manager for Immunization at the Ministry of Health, many children have missed out on their immunization doses due to the on-going coronavirus pandemic.

“There have been disruptions because of the lockdown measures that have seen many health workers not available due to challenges of commuting from their homes to the health centres,”Driwale says.

AD-03 AD-03 AD-03
ADVERTISEMENT

“When the mothers take children, some of the medical personnel are not available at the health facilities due to the lockdown.”

This has seen several children either miss out on their follow up doses or missed the entire vaccination due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

The Programs Manager for Immunization in the Health Ministry notes that well as the numbers were gradually going down as the second quarter of last year set in, the numbers quickly went down with the onset of the Covid-19 lockdown.

Last month, the World Health Organization (WHO) said it was deeply concerned about the Covid-19 pandemic’s impact on routine immunization services for children.

“Children may be at relatively low risk from severe disease and death from COVID-19, but can be at high risk from other diseases that can be prevented with vaccines,” the WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a virtual conference from Geneva.

“But there are still more than 13 million children around the world who miss out on vaccination. We know that that number will increase because of Covid-19.”

Citing Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the WHO chief said at least 21 low- and middle-income countries are already reporting vaccine shortages as a result of border closures and disruptions to travel.

According to Dr. Deogratius Munube, the president Ugandan Paediatrics Association, there will be adverse effects from such illnesses on children who have missed their immunization jabs due to the on-going Covid-19 pandemic.

“For example if a child is supposed to get three dozes of a vaccine but they get one, the biggest challenge is that the one doze will not be effective and will not provide the necessary immunity against a particular disease. It means the child will have to repeat the full cycle of the vaccine,”Munube says.

According to the Uganda National Expanded Program on Immunisation-UNEPI  if routine immunization doesn’t take place, outbreaks for diseases like measles might spring up  to add pressure on the already stretched health systems in the world.

Uganda has performed well in immunization and in 2019, close to eight million children under 5 received a booster dose of bivalent oral polio vaccine to reduce the risk of polio importation from neighbouring countries.

Uganda had its last Polio case in 2010.

Tags: coronaviruscovid-19Dr. Alfred DriwaleTedros Adhanom GhebreyesusugandaUgandan Newsunicefwho
ShareTweetSend
Previous Post

Mother who forced 14 year old daughter to have sex with men for money remanded

Next Post

IGAD hands over medical supplies worth Shs 90m to the ministry of Health

Kenneth Kazibwe

Kenneth Kazibwe

Related Posts

Drug Authority warns public over pastor Kayanja “medicine”

Drug Authority warns public over pastor Kayanja “medicine”

by Amon Katungulu
February 7, 2023
0

The National Drug Authority (NDA) has warned members of the public to beware of a fake acaricide named ‘Tickoff’ being ...

Museveni, Ramaphosa to attend Uganda-South Africa business summit in Pretoria

Museveni, Ramaphosa to attend Uganda-South Africa business summit in Pretoria

by Kenneth Kazibwe
February 7, 2023
0

Presidents Museveni and Cyril Ramaphosa are set to attend the forthcoming Uganda-South Africa business summit to be held in Pretoria...

Kayihura orders for arrest of any police officer moving alone with a gun

MPs question salary disparities in UPDF, puzzled with huge salaries of Generals who do “nothing”

by Shamim Nabakooza
February 7, 2023
0

Members of Parliament who sit on the Defence Committee are concerned with the unfairness in salary enhancements of the Uganda...

Police say 80 year old Kasese “NUP supporter” was ADF agent; explain his death

Police say 80 year old Kasese “NUP supporter” was ADF agent; explain his death

by Kenneth Kazibwe
February 7, 2023
0

Police have come out to explain circumstances under which an 80 year old man who had earlier been arrested from...

Next Post
IGAD hands over medical supplies worth Shs 90m to the ministry of Health

IGAD hands over medical supplies worth Shs 90m to the ministry of Health

ADVERTISEMENT
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
How fake female UPDF colonel was undressed

How fake female UPDF colonel was undressed

February 3, 2023
Museveni: Why I promoted Muhoozi Kainerugaba

Muhoozi, Saleh, Nadduli retained as Museveni appoints new advisors

February 7, 2023
Matua: Minister Amongi gave me evidence to pin NSSF rot

Who is Richard Matua: the NSSF petitioner? 

February 4, 2023
How Afro Mobile is supporting the creatives and Arts industry

How Afro Mobile is supporting the creatives and Arts industry

February 7, 2023
Kenya starts teaching parents how to protect children online

Kenya starts teaching parents how to protect children online

February 7, 2023
Turkey declares three month state of emergency in earthquake affected area

Turkey declares three month state of emergency in earthquake affected area

February 7, 2023
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Careers
Call us: +256-417-720-101
Email: [email protected]

© 2020 Nile Post Uganda Ltd. - A Next Media Services Company.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Politics
    • Business
    • 2021 Elections Watch
      • The Election Podcast
    • Exclusive
    • Investigations
  • Education
  • Security
    • Cyber Security
  • Health
    • Coronavirus outbreak
  • Opinions
    • Columns
      • Parting Shot
      • Two Sides of a Coin
      • Bazanye’s Quick Shots
      • Mable Twegumye Zake’s #BitsOfMe&You
      • But this Year!
      • What Did I Miss?
  • Lifestyle
    • Hatmahz Kitchen
    • Food Hub
    • Let’s Talk About Sex
    • Entertainment
    • Tour & Travel
    • Love Therapist
    • Homes
  • Global
    • Africa
    • Asia
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • The Americas
  • East Africa
    • Kenya
    • Rwanda
    • Tanzania
    • South Sudan
    • DR Congo
    • Ethiopia
    • Sudan
  • Technology
  • Ask the Mechanic
  • Special Reports
    • Kabaka Mutebi’s 25th Coronation Series
    • Focus on Somalia
    • Sino-Africa
    • Uganda at 56
    • Anti-Corruption Fight
    • Age Limit Map
    • Tuve Ku Kaveera
  • Sports
    • Place-It
    • StarTimes Uganda Premier League
    • Bundesliga
    • World Cup
  • Jobs

© 2020 Nile Post Uganda Ltd. - A Next Media Services Company.

Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?