A health worker rides on a motorcycle to vaccinate children with the oral polio drug.The vaccine is being phased out for preference to the Injectable Polio Vaccine (IPV).

In a bid to increase immunity of children across the globe, Uganda is among the countries that are slowly phasing out oral polio vaccines to replace it with the new type of injectable vaccine which experts say offers extra health protection to the children.

Presenting a paper on the new immunization programme, the deputy programme manager at United National Expanded Programme on Immunisation (UNEPI), Dr. Henry Luzze recently confirmed that this type of vaccine dubbed ‘injectable polio vaccine’ (IPV) was recommended by the Global Health Organization after a full study on how it works and its advantages compared to the current vaccine used in 60 countries across the globe.

Luzze revealed that Uganda is among the countries that are yet to fully embrace that vaccine for the elimination of polio in the country’s population by 2020.

“As UNEPI, we are very sure that when Uganda finally fully embraces the new injectable polio vaccine, then the country’s population will be free from the disease and ensure that there is a health population,” Luzze said.

With Uganda now already at 98% immunization levels, the health ministry is now moving in swiftly to start mass immunization of the swarming refugee population that is entering the country from all directions.

The current South Sudan conflict has seen an influx of refugees entering Uganda with the United Nations figures putting the number at 26,000.

Luzze however maintains that all the foreign populations from war tone nations are strictly being targeted to keep Uganda at the desire immunization levels with polio being the highly considered immunizable disease among other deadly immunisable diseases.

According to the ministry of health, efforts have already been put in place at especially the borders with South Sudan to avoid having Ugandan citizens’ contract  immunisable diseases especially children.

Luzze, said it has been a long journey for Uganda to reach these levels and still sights challenges that the country is facing to hit its target of 100% immunization levels.

He said the challenges mainly include; negative attitudes towards immunization by some parents, negative cultural and religious trends among others which need to be overcome for the country to fully embrace immunization and eradicate immunizable diseases which continue to kill and affect Uganda’s children.

The post Uganda to phase out oral polio vaccine first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

A man looks after a herd of cattle where hepatitis b disease is most rampant.

Maracha County Member of Parliament, Denis Lee Oguzu, has asked  government to come to the rescue of the people of Maracha districtfrom hepatitis B as soon as possible.

Speaking to journalists at parliament today, Oguzu said the disease is widely spread in the district and that many persons are suffering from it yet testing kits and medical supplies are not available.

He expressed concern that due to the high prevalence rates of Hepatitis B, people from the district are now discriminated against when it comes to opportunities since Maracha people are regarded as hepatitis B sufferers.

According to the Ministry of Health, Hepatitis B virus infection is highly endemic in Uganda, with transmission occurring in childhood and adulthood. Most infections occur in North eastern region including Karamoja.

Statistics also show that about 1.4 million adults are chronically infected and some communities disproportionately affected by the disease in Uganda.

The virus is mainly transmitted by sexual contact, Needle sharing to inject drugs and from mother to baby.

The Health ministry has previously rolled out the hepatitis B infant immunization programme so as to sustain and catch-up vaccination considered for older children.

However, Oguzu says the government is becoming a exclusive in the way it responds to the disease especially in Maracha County.

“I am disappointed in government because it seems to be selective in responding to the disease in Karamoja region. Whereas there have been responses to curb the spread of the disease before, our various calls for help in  Maracha County are particularly neglected. We need to also be considered so that we save lives of our people,” said Oguzu  .

The post Karamoja MP faults government on the spread of Hepatitis B first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.