25 border districts in Polio drive
Jan 29, 2009
A MASSIVE polio campaign has been launched in 25 Ugandan districts bordering Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Sudan.
By Felix Basiime
A MASSIVE polio campaign has been launched in 25 Ugandan districts bordering Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Sudan.
The Isingiro district health officer, Dr. William Nyehangane, said the drive follows the occurrence of polio cases in the DRC and Sudan last year as well as the recent influx of Congolese refugees into the country.
The operation will be carried out in Isingiro, Kisoro, Kanungu, Rukungiri, Bushenyi, Bundibugyo, Kasese, Kabarole, Hoima, Masindi and Arua districts.
Nyehangane said Isingiro, which borders Tanzania and Rwanda, would conduct the immunisation in two rounds; the first round begins tomorrow and ends on Sunday, while the second will kickoff in April.
A total of sh27m has been earmarked for the exercise, he said.
About 20,000 Congolese refugees were last year settled at Nakivale refugee camp in Isingiro following clashes between rebels and government forces.
Nyehangane said of the 20,000 Congolese refugees, 4,500 children under the age of five would be immunised. He said they plan to immunise about 86,000 children in Isingiro.
“We shall immunise against other diseases like measles,†said Nyehangane, in an exclusive interview with The New Vision.
A MASSIVE polio campaign has been launched in 25 Ugandan districts bordering Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Sudan.
The Isingiro district health officer, Dr. William Nyehangane, said the drive follows the occurrence of polio cases in the DRC and Sudan last year as well as the recent influx of Congolese refugees into the country.
The operation will be carried out in Isingiro, Kisoro, Kanungu, Rukungiri, Bushenyi, Bundibugyo, Kasese, Kabarole, Hoima, Masindi and Arua districts.
Nyehangane said Isingiro, which borders Tanzania and Rwanda, would conduct the immunisation in two rounds; the first round begins tomorrow and ends on Sunday, while the second will kickoff in April.
A total of sh27m has been earmarked for the exercise, he said.
About 20,000 Congolese refugees were last year settled at Nakivale refugee camp in Isingiro following clashes between rebels and government forces.
Nyehangane said of the 20,000 Congolese refugees, 4,500 children under the age of five would be immunised. He said they plan to immunise about 86,000 children in Isingiro.
“We shall immunise against other diseases like measles,†said Nyehangane, in an exclusive interview with The New Vision.