Schools, churches, markets turned into temporary Covid vaccination centres in latest campaign

The Ministry of Health has announced a week-long vaccination exercise targeting the population in the three Kampala Metropolitan Area districts of Mukono, Kampala and Wakiso.

President Museveni earlier this week said at least 4.8 million people have to first get vaccinated before more sectors like schools and bars are reopened earlier next year.

According to the Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary, Dr.Diana Atwine, the “accelerated” vaccination campaign will take one week starting, tomorrow, Monday.

“Our objective is to accelerate Covid vaccination in Kampala Metropolitan Area but also in other districts in the rest of the country. The Ministry of Health is working with partners and leadership of Kampala Capital City Authority, Wakiso and Mukono districts in an accelerated Covid vaccination campaign,” Atwine said.

She noted that the campaign starts on Monday September, 27 to Friday October, 3, 2021 will see 58 vaccination points in the three districts that make up the Kampala Metropolitan Area.

“The focus is to vaccinate the most vulnerable 4.8 million people of the priority group to enable us safely open the schools. The exercise will target risk groups like person aged 50 and above, persons above 18 with underlying medical conditions like diabetes, kidney, liver diseases and chronic diseases, security personnel, health workers and students in tertiary institutions among others.”

Schools and churches

According to the list released by the ministry, schools, markets and churches have been included among the 58 vaccination points.

For example, in Kampala, St.Balikuddembe, Nakasero, Usafi, Old taxi park, new taxi park, global coaches bus terminal, Kisenyi bus terminal, Namayiba bus terminal , Kisekka market and City Square are some of the vaccination points in the central division.

On the other side, Wandegeya market, St.Paul Primary School Kyebando, St.Peters Kanyanya, Makerere Yellow primary school, Kawempe Muslim Primary school, Bwaise Community hall,Kyambogo university, Okuva church Mbuya, Eden Church Mulimira, Nateete Archdeaconry, Kibuye market, St.Peter’s Nsambya primary school, Amazon play grounds, Katwe Martyrs Church, Prayer Palace Church, Maranatha Church and Kansanga Seed SS are some of the other points for vaccination in Kampala.

In Mukono, the district grounds, Kyetume trading centre,Seeta Church of Uganda Primary School, Kisowera primary school, Katosi trading centre,Namataba All Saints Church, Nsuube Church of Uganda and Kojja Community Centre are some of the vaccination centres .

The campaign comes on the backdrop of a similar campaign by beer company Uganda Breweries Limited together with beverage company Century Bottling Company , Private Sector Foundation and KCCA in which bars have been turned into temporary covid testing centres.

Earlier this week, President Museveni said by December the country will have received at least 12 million doses of vaccines Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Sinovac, Sinopharm and Pfizer but urged members of the public to ensure they are vaccinated.

To ensure this, he directed Resident District Commissioners, Chief Administrative Officers and district health officers to mobilise members of the public to go for vaccination.

Owing the recently second wave of the pandemic in the country, a recent study by Makerere University indicated that vaccinated Covid patients were 55% more protected from dying during hospitalization.

"There was no death among fully vaccinated patients whereas mortality was lower among partially vaccinated patients compared to those not vaccinated at all," the report of the survey reads in part.