Health: MoH Launches Polio Out Break Awareness Campaign
By: Kyeyune Ali
Last week the Ministry of Health announced the emergency of Polio in the country.
The ministry asserted that the samples which were collected and taken to Sewage plants in Bugolobi and Lubigi, the two of the sentinel environmental surveillance sites in Kampala and confirmed that the virus is in the country.
Uganda and the entire Africa were certified by the World Health Organization as they are free from wild polio virus in August 2020.
In the past 12 months , over 19 African countries have declared polio out break including three countries bordering Uganda, that is; Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and Kenya as per the laboratory reports, the polio virus detected during environmental surveillance exercise in Kampala has genetic linkage.
The resurgence of polio in Uganda can be attributed to the reduced routine immunization and polio immunization rates in the country during the Covid 19 pandemic and also incessant cross boarder movements among the country’s neighbours and the countries from the Horn of Africa region currently affected by the disease.
Today the ministry of health launched the awareness campaign to sensitize about the emergency of the disease and they are aiming to vaccinate 16 Million children.
While at the launch of the Polio Awareness campaign at Golf Course Hotel-Kampala, Alfred Driwale, the Programme Manager UNEPI said that;
“Parents and guardians are encouraged to ensure that all children under the age of five years are fully immunized as per the country’s routine immunization schedule and take all children under fifteen years with sudden onset of weakness of the legs or arms to nearest health facility as it may be polio”.
The ministry of health will announce the specific dates for the VACCINATION campaign through the national media, announcements, posters, and banners to inform parents of the campaign and ensure that their children are vaccinated and protected from polio
The ministry is targeting to vaccinate 16million children in total but in two phases. Children under the age of twelve will be in the first phase and Ministry is targeting to vaccinate 8million and the second phase also 8 million.