Arua City Health officials have been forced to extend days for Polio vaccination over a shortage of vaccine carriers. The vaccination campaign targeting children aged below five years kicked off on Saturday in Arua.
However, the campaign has been hampered by inadequate carriers forcing health officials to conduct the campaign in two phases up to Wednesday.
Vaccine carriers are insulated containers where vaccines are kept cold during transportation.
According to Peter Aziku the Deputy Health Officer Arua City, they needed 890 cold boxes but they received 469. Aziku said they have decided to divide the health staff into two with the first one starting vaccination in the areas of Pajulu, Adumi, and Ayivuni all in Ayivu West while the second group of health workers will resume on Monday in the areas of Arua Hill, Oli Division, Oluko Dadamu, Manibe, and Aroi.
The health officials have also involved the cultural, religious, and local council leaders in addition to the VHTs to popularize the vaccination campaign.
Ismail Tuku the Prime Minister of Lugbara Cultural Institution said the government should consider sharing polio vaccines with the Neighboring DRC and South Sudan because of the eminent polio risk in these countries.
At least 270 health workers have been trained to roll out the vaccination against Polio for six days in Arua City.
A trace of the Poliovirus was discovered last year in a lagoon in Entebbe and as a result government through the Ministry of Health decided to roll out mass Vaccination for Children below five years.
Polio Pandemic hit Uganda hard in 1983 and left a trail of physical disability in many children who are now 30 years and above and since then vaccines have been rolled out to eliminate the disease.
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