Uganda to Launch Next Phase of Mpox Vaccination with 100,000 New Doses

Synopsis

Uganda is poised to commence the next phase of its mpox vaccination campaign, having received an additional 100,000 doses from the Africa CDC. Young adults will be prioritized in high-risk areas, following the initial vaccination of 10,000 individuals in February. The country faces a significant number of community-transmitted cases.

Key Takeaways

Uganda has secured 100,000 new mpox vaccine doses.
Vaccination will target high-risk areas and young adults.
Initial phase vaccinated 10,000 individuals in February.
Uganda has over 4,800 confirmed mpox cases.
Community transmission is currently a major concern.

Kampala, March 31 (NationPress) Uganda has obtained an extra 100,000 doses of the mpox vaccine from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to facilitate the next phase of its prevention initiative, revealed a senior health official on Monday.

Henry Kyobe Bosa, the incident commander at the Ministry of Health, informed Xinhua via telephone that the vaccines are set to be allocated to regions with the highest rates of mpox virus transmission, with young adults aged 25 to 35 being given priority in this round of vaccination.

The Ministry of Health indicated that this upcoming phase will concentrate on high-risk areas within the capital, Kampala, particularly in the Rubaga, Nakawa, and Central divisions. It will also extend to key districts in central Uganda, including Mukono, Wakiso, Buvuma, Nakasongola, and Masaka, as well as western districts like Mbarara and Hoima.

Uganda kicked off its initial mpox vaccination campaign in February, focusing on high-risk groups such as individuals involved in commercial sex work, bar staff, commuter taxi drivers, commercial motorcyclists, and roadside vendors in the Kawempe and Makindye divisions of Kampala.

During this first phase, the nation successfully vaccinated 10,000 individuals residing in the most affected districts, according to the Ministry of Health.

Uganda identified the mpox outbreak last August, reporting 4,810 laboratory-confirmed cases and 37 fatalities since then. Most of the deceased had pre-existing health conditions such as HIV/AIDS, malnutrition, and diabetes.

Recently, the World Health Organisation cautioned that Uganda currently holds the highest count of community-transmitted mpox cases globally. "The country is facing community transmission, and the weekly national case count has been rising consistently," it stated.

In reaction, Ugandan health authorities have enhanced surveillance, case management, and public awareness initiatives to mitigate the spread of the virus, as reported by Xinhua news agency.

Mpox, commonly referred to as monkeypox, is a contagious disease triggered by the monkeypox virus. It disseminates through close contact and exhibits symptoms such as fever, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, muscle aches, skin rash, and back pain.