In the NMS drive, over 50,000 people are vaccinated against yellow fever.
On days when more than 3,000 people show up, such as Saturday, police officers close the main gate until half of the people inside have been vaccinated, in order to decongest the center.
In a twelve-day exercise organized by the National Medical Stores-NMS, approximately 54,750 Ugandans were vaccinated against yellow fever.
On August 19, the National Vaccination Service (NMS) began its annual mass vaccination campaign at Mayor’s Garden in Entebbe municipality. Yesterday, August 30th, the exercise came to a close.
Our reporter observed police and army officers deployed at the access routes as well as within the center to control the crowds that would begin to gather by 7 a.m. during the exercise.
On days when more than 3,000 people show up, such as Saturday, police officers close the main gate until half of the people inside have been vaccinated, in order to decongest the center.
According to NMS spokesperson Sheila Nduhukire, the exercise was supposed to last five days, ending on August 23. However, due to overwhelming public demand, the agency decided to extend the exercise for another week.
The vaccine was only given to people aged 9 months to 59 years. Expectant mothers and people who had their COVID-19 vaccine less than two weeks ago, on the other hand, were not allowed to get the yellow fever vaccine.
The people who received the vaccine came from Entebbe, the Katabi and Kajjansi town councils, and Kampala.
Even foreign nationals, according to Nduhukire, participated in the exercise. However, Ugandans are excluded from the exercise. Yellow fever vaccination is required for all Ugandans planning to travel outside the country.
In a private medical facility, this vaccination would normally cost between 50,000 and 100,000 Shillings.
Ndukukire, on the other hand, claims that NMS has been arranging a mass vaccination drive every year to ensure that Ugandans obtain the vaccine not simply because they need to travel.
Yellow fever vaccination is one of the most successful and vital methods of preventing the disease, which is spread through mosquito bites.
Angola, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Equatorial Guinea are among the African countries where yellow fever is endemic.
Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, and Mauritania are among the others.
