By Alex Gahima
A total of three new vaccines have been added to the list of vaccines administered to children during the Child Health Days.
A routine Government program, the child health days are organized in the months of April and October seeking to distribute vitamin A capsules and de-wormers among others, to preschool children to 14 years old.
The Government of Uganda, through the Ministry of Health (MOH) is launching a six day campaign that will see children from birth to the age of 5 years, receive vaccines including Measles Rubella, Yellow fever, Hepatitis B and Inactivated polio vaccine (IPV).
Kisoro district is one of the districts in the country that has been identified to benefit from the campaign that will cost a total of 164 million Ugandan shillings.
15.9% of the population in Kisoro, totaling to 51,000 is expected to benefit from the program.
Recent population statistics from the office of the District Health Officer (DHO) place the population of Kisoro at 326,700.
MOH Central Supervisor Enock Kyakunzire says the six days have not yet been established however Government is prepared to launch the campaign in Kisoro during the month of October.
The campaign will see selected medical practitioners visit schools and communities targeting all children to benefit from the Government program.
Kyakunzire says the issue of seeking parental consent to immunize children will not be a problem because the immunization act, empowers the Government to ensure all children are healthy.
All vaccines will be administered by intramuscular injection.
Kisoro District Health Officer Dr. Steven Nsabiyumva says communities, through their elected leaders need to advocate and sensitize the public about the importance of such a campaign.
Dr. Nsabiyumva says the district has experienced two instances where Cholera has been imported into the district from neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo.
He says that due to heightened disease Survillieance and willingness by communities to participate in health programs, outbreaks of disease were averted.
Kisoro District LCV chairperson Abel Bizimana says the campaign is an excellent opportunity for the communities to embrace one health approach.
He noted that as much as the program is targeting children, adults should use the chance to test for prostate and cervical cancer.
He decried the high levels of Alcoholism and poor eating habits among households which has reduced the productivity of families in the district.
Kisoro Resident District Commissioner Hajji Shafiq Sekandi says Government is prepared to arrest any parent or school proprietor who wishes to sabotage the well-intended Government program.
Sekandi called on Central Government to consider increasing allowances for health workers in Kisoro who are engaged in such campaigns due to the hard to reach nature of the district.
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