NEWS: Immunisation campaign extended

Immunisation campaign extended

Friday, 12th June, 2009 from NEW VISION

THE ministry of Health will carry out another round of polio and measles immunisation today in areas that were hit by vaccine shortage during the just-ended three-day national immunisation campaign. Last weekend several parts of the country reported a shortage of vaccines. This left several parents and guardians who had taken their children for immunisation stranded. “We have asked our supervisors countrywide to document sub-counties where some children missed being immunised because of a shortage of the vaccines so that we can deliver them. We shall have a mop-up exercise on Saturday,” said Dr. Possy Mugyenyi, the head of the immunisation programme in the health ministry. He said the shortages were mainly in parts of western, central and eastern Uganda. In Lira, Mugyenyi explained, there was apparent shortage where some sub counties had shortages while others were overstocked. This was sorted out through internal redistribution. Mpigi and Nakasongola districts postponed their immunisation campaign from June 12 to June 15. “At the end of the exercise, we shall give all the remaining vaccines to the health centres to enable them immunise any child who could have missed,” Mugyenyi said. “Parents should also continue with routine immunisation of their children instead of relying on national immunisation days or campaigns.” The health ministry, Mugyenyi said, procured 5.8 million doses for the measles vaccine and 8.7 million for polio.