By Agnes Kiconco

KIU, Main Campus - The Ministry of Health will on Friday, January 14, 2022, launch a House-to-House National Polio Vaccination Campaign.

The campaign is expected to run from Friday to Sunday, January 16, 2022.

During the campaign, all children under five years of age will be vaccinated. The drive is aimed at creating a Uganda free of Polio, by reaching a target of 8,791,710 children. 

In preparation for the drive, the Minister for Health, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng - accompanied by Yonas Tegegn, the WHO Representative to Uganda, and Munir Safieldin, the UNICEF Representative to Uganda - on Wednesday, January 12, 2022, flagged off immunization cold chain equipment at the Kololo Independence Grounds, Kampala.

The USD 8.3M worth of equipment procured with support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, will be distributed to districts to improve vaccination services by easing vaccine storage.

Dr. Aceng said the equipment will go a long way in improving immunization services across the country.

The procured equipment includes 5 cold rooms, 2,000 compliant vaccine carriers, 1,435 fridges among others. 

Polio has over the years proven to be a risk to all children. However, two drops of the polio vaccine are said to protect a child from Polio.