Over 15,000 Covid vaccines dispensed since March

What you need to know:

The border points include Bunagana in Kisoro District, Katuna (Kabale), Mirama Hills (Ntungamo), Mutukula (Kyotera), Busia (Busia), Malaba (Tororo), Vura (Arua), and Elegu in Amuru District

At least 15,131 people have since March received Covid-19 jabs across the country’s eight border points, officials have revealed. The border points include Bunagana in Kisoro District, Katuna (Kabale), Mirama Hills (Ntungamo), Mutukula (Kyotera), Busia (Busia), Malaba (Tororo), Vura (Arua), and Elegu in Amuru District.

This has been made possible through a $490,000 (about Shs1.8b) grant extended to Amref Health Africa through TradeMark Africa (TMA).

The Royal Danish Embassy (Danida) also extended support to implement the six-month safe borders and points of entry for the continuity of trade Phase II project.

Amref Health Africa is a non-governmental organisation (NGO), which partners with, among other government ministries, departments and agencies, the Health ministry to improve access to health services.

“We have been able to vaccinate 15,131 people, including 3,487 at Busia, 3,661 at Bunagana, 3,446 at Mutukula, 1,701 at Vura, 1,330 at Katuna, 542 at Elegu, 544 at Malaba and 420 at Mirama Hills,” Dr Amos Wambete, a project manager at the organisation, told Saturday Monitor. “We believe (that) in the next month, we shall be able to at least achieve 90 percent of the target goal (33,600).”Dr Wambete said the target population is truck drivers at the aforementioned points of entry, informal business traders, money changers and market vendors, among others.

With implementation standing at 45 percent, Dr Wambete believes a mass sensitisation campaign will help plug the remaining gaps. Mr Douglas Barasa, the senior medical clinical officer in Busia, said the district targets 6,000 people by August. He disclosed that over the past three weeks, they have registered one positive Covid-19 case—a traveller from Kenya.

“He tested positive. We counselled him and handed him over to Kenya Port Health,” Mr Barasa added. During the implementation of the project, at which Cinovac and Johnson and Johnson vaccines were administered, Mr Barasa said no serious side effects have been reported.

Two minor cases, he divulged, were registered, with one person complaining of paralysis of the hand which was injected and another presenting with a rash. Both cases were given the all-clear after being referred to Busia Health Centre IV and got better.

Mr Desteriyo Osere, 68, a resident of Marachi Village in Busia municipality, said he had never been vaccinated against Covid-19. He decided to get the first dose on Wednesday.

Ms Annet Namataka, 43, a resident of Sofia ‘B’ Village, Busia Municipality, said she came for the second dose.

Mr Bashir Wetaka, 45, also a resident of Sofia ‘B’ Village, said he came for the second dose because such vaccination may prove handy in future. “We all know that Covid-19 has not gone away, and it is still with us. Much as it has reduced, we are still registering a few cases. Right now, when you go to the health centres, you get the vaccination, unlike the other time when it was a special arrangement,” Dr Mathias Wabwire Panyako, the Busia District Health Officer, explained.

Mr Michael Kibwika, the Busia Resident District Commissioner, said there has been talk that Covid has gone, but when you come to Busia it is when you will realise that people still suffer from the disease. “I personally have friends that have tested positive,” he revealed, adding, “Every day we have been vaccinating close to between 90 and 100 people.”Ms Brenda Asiimwe, a nurse, said by the end of Tuesday, 75 and 61 people were vaccinated against Covid-19 at Sofia ‘B’ and Mugungu villages, respectively.

Ms Harriet Mayinja, a Health ministry official, said: “Port Health has played a crucial role in vaccinating against Covid-19 at the border points.”At the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in East Africa, truck drivers were considered agents responsible for the spread of the disease. TMA, with the support of development partners, intervened with a safe trade project that provided personal protective equipment which enabled cross-border trade in East Africa to continue.

Article first published on https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/over-15-000-covid-vaccines-dispensed-since-march-4297044