KAMPALA, UGANDA: The public will be required to present proof of full vaccination to access transport services effective 1st April 2022.
Addressing journalists at the Media Centre on Friday, the Minister for Health Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng said that all passengers aged 18 years and above will have to present Covid-19 vaccination cards indicating full dosage before they are allowed to travel.
On Wednesday, the government withdrew a condition that passengers must prove that they are fully vaccinated before using public transport. The cancellation of the directive came barely a week after it was announced by President Yoweri Museveni, as a condition for reopening the economy and allowing public service vehicles to load their full capacity.
The Works and Transport Minister Gen Edward Katumba Wamala said that many public transporters could not differentiate between genuine and fake cards, yet some already vaccinated travelers never received their cards from the Ministry of Health.
Aceng said that by the end of March, Ugandans will have been given enough time to get fully vaccinated. She also noted that a system was being developed to validate all vaccination cards to ensure that there is no forgery of certifications. Aceng said that the Prime Minister’s office will work with other ministries to develop guidelines for other sectors as well.
According to records from the Ministry of Health, only 4 Million people have been fully vaccinated so far out of the targeted 22 Million.
Aceng attributed the low uptake to delays in distribution of the vaccines, reluctance of individuals to visit health centers, and misconceptions on vaccines among other challenges.
She also said that booster doses will be given to priority persons including teachers, security workers, bar attendants, and public transport operators among others effective February. The categories according to the Ministry of Health are a priority for the booster dose category because of their nature of work.
In the past seven days, 11,222 cases have been confirmed positive with 105 new patient admissions in the last 24 hours according to Ministry of Health records.
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