Yellow fever vaccination kicks off in Kalangala

After a long wait for vaccination materials, yellow fever vaccination has started in all health centres in the district.

Some locations have also been set up by the district health department for the exercise.

As many as 54,000 people, starting from the age of six months, will be vaccinated.

Two people were reported dead in two villages of Kalangala following the outbreak of yellow fever in the districts of Masaka, Rukungiri and Kalangala.

The vaccination exercise is expected to be over by Monday next week, said Rose Tumusiime, a medic at Kalangala health center 1V.

"For all those that will miss out, it will be their responsibility to look for somewhere and be vaccinated. This exercise is free of charge but whoever misses out will have to pay for the vaccine," she said.

Hillary Bitakaramire, the Kalangala district health officer urged people to use this opportunity as the cost of yellow fever vaccination is very high in private health facilities.

"This vaccine costs about sh100,000 Ugandan shilling in a private center so I call upon people even though they have allt of work to do to spare some time and come to be vaccinated. Also, vaccination is for their benefit," said the DHO.