Mbale, (UG):- The Ministry of Health Thursday flagged off the National Polio Vaccination Program, a campaign expected to cover 49 Districts of Uganda mostly in Eastern and Northern Uganda.
The National launch of polio immunisation took place in Mbale city where Dr Joseph Okware, the Director Health Services flagged off the exercise on behalf of Minister Dr Ruth Acheng
The immunization program targets children below the age of 5 years irrespective of their previous health status all must get the polio jab. “This is the first segment of the immunization and there will be a second segment ahead,” he said.
Mbale City has stood out as the epicentre of the polio virus especially around River Namatala where we collect samples every Tuesday for testing Emphasized Dr Moses Mugonyi the Mbale City Health officer.
Speaking at the same function, Inzu Ya Masaba spokesperson Sr Steven Masiga who represented the cultural leader of the Bamasaba people pledged to mobilize all those staying and living in Masabaland to participate in the immunization exercise irrespective of their tribal status.
Mr. Masiga lamented how polio treatment has changed, he said in the past those sick with polio could just touch the garment of Jesus and could be healed, we are now in an era that needs an injection to cure polio and not touching the Garment of Jesus Christ as it was then and others like Muhammad
The Kenyan representative for their Health Ministry reported how it was necessary to do these linkages since polio knows no boundaries. He said in Kenya it is called universal immunization
The launch was graced by several partners and dignitaries including city mayor Mbale, Mr Kassim Namugali, Rcc Nasike Mbale City public relations officer Mbale city Mr Kutosi James and the world Health program among others.
The polio virus in Mbale is similar to that found in Garisa in Kenya and parts of Somalia emphasized Dr Kuria the WHO representative in Uganda.
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