Uganda: Government takes important decision for children’s health

Ugandan health authorities announced the start of vaccination of children against covid-19 from Monday, in order to curb the spread of the pandemic in the country.

“Only children aged between 12 and 17 today will get their jabs,” the health ministry said.

Mr Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the spokesperson of the Health ministry, appealed to parents to take their children for vaccination, saying this is essential for effective control of the pandemic and to guarantee continuity of learning.

“The mass vaccination will run from August 22 to September 3. It will be done in health facilities and community outreaches. Parents should take their children to vaccination points because this is a way of ensuring that they are protected from severe disease and death,” he said.

The mass vaccination comes amid declining numbers of Covid-19 infections and deaths. The decline has affected risk perception and exacerbated vaccine hesitancy even among people who are at higher risk of developing severe disease and dying, Dailymonitor reports.

The East African country has so far recorded 169,000 covid cases including 3,628 deaths.