“The pandemic is not over yet. We have to protect ourselves. We have to protect all those who are eligible for vaccination, including students who have come to age. We are now working to vaccinate young people aged 12 to 17 years”. Said Jane Ruth Aceng, the Ugandan Minister of Health during the Covid-19 vaccination campaign launching ceremony in Moroto, Karamoja.
The event was the inauguration of a work that has actually started weeks ago. The commitment of Doctors with Africa Cuamm, supported by Unicef and in collaboration with local authorities, is now boosting the campaign which aims to vaccinate 100% of those above 18 years target group by April 2022.
The Minister also made an appeal to the students attending the event: “In this present moment you have a duty, which is that of reminding your parents to get vaccinated because you go to school, you meet people, you move and come back home. Should your parents not be vaccinated, the risk is that you infect them and as older adults they are more likely to suffer severe effects. We do not want you to lose them”.
The Minister also took the opportunity to offer her congratulations to the health personnel for what has been done during the pandemic, without failing to mention religious, political and cultural leaders for their support to the regional health system. Over the ceremony, they also received the backing from a WHO representative and everybody was incouraged to use any space (church, market, funeral, party, etc.) and by all means to persuade eligible people to get vaccinated and to ensure that all people have access to vaccination.
In Karamoja, the Ugandan poorest region, 37.100 positive cases and 34 deaths have been registred till date. At the present moment, 28% of the population is fully vaccinated but this campaign might finally boost the vaccination. Contrarily to the past months, when the country was suffering from vaccine shortage, the Ministry has now assured the districts that vaccines are available to all. Up to the last mile, to the Kobebe community, Lotisan Sub-County, one of the further and riskier located on the far north of Moroto district where the nearest health facility is 56 kilometers away. Despite the difficulties, and thanks to Cuamm, vaccines are now available here!
