By VOM News Team
A five day campaign in Kisoro district aimed at getting the general population vaccinated for their second covid-19 jab has seen a significant rise in uptake since April this year.
The third campaign that was supported by donors RHITES SW and the Ministry of Health aimed at raising Coverage of vaccinated people in the district.
This comes on the backdrop of a devastating wave that claimed the lives of 29 people in Kisoro district.
The Assistant District Health Officer In-charge of immunization Annet Dusabe says the third campaign has seen more people participating in getting both their first and second jab.
Dusabe says, by end of the second mass vaccination campaign back in April this year, the district had achieved 86% coverage of people getting their first jab.
Sources in the health department have revealed that the number of people who have received their first jab has grown to over 91%
Dusabe says people who showed interest in getting their second jab were disappointed by the delays in Government deliveries to the district leading to low interest in participation to get vaccinated by the communities.
“Many of the people preferred to remain working in their gardens or businesses instead of getting the second covid-19 jab. They believed that since people were no longer being hospitalized like it was being done during the lockdown, then the second jab was no longer necessary”, Dusabe explained.
According to data from the health department, the number of people who have received their second covid-19 jab has also moved up from 29% to 41%.
Kisoro Municipality (Central Division) scored the highest with 71% coverage of a targeted population of 2,800. Of these, 1,799 have been fully vaccinated.
Nyakabande Sub County managed to cover 62% of a targeted population of 14,200 people. Of these, 8,415 have been fully vaccinated.
Nyakabande Sub County has been hosting Congolese Asylum seekers since March 28th 2022.
Since that time, a cumulative total number of tests conducted for new arrivals stands at 28,839 with 512 cases confirmed positive for Covid-19.
Camp Sources say, 68 active cases have been isolated and are receiving treatment.
Deputy Program Manager, the Uganda National Expanded Program on Immunization (UNEPI) Dr. Michael Bagainizi says an upward trend has been registered during the campaign.
According to Dr. Bagainizi, vaccination for Covid-19 will continue at all health facilities therefore people should endeavor to get fully vaccinated.
Sources within the Kisoro health department say at least 252 vials of Pfizer vaccine are set to expire on the 13th of July 2022.
Plenty in stock in Johnson and Johnson vaccines which were not made readily available to the public during the first and second mass vaccination campaign in Kisoro district.
Kisoro Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Hajji Shafiq Sekandi says people need to be more mindful of their personal health, especially with the influx of Congolese Asylum seekers in the district who come from a country with limited to no medical infrastructure.
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