A large number of teachers have today turned up for Covid-19 vaccination at various vaccination Centers in Fort Portal.

Steven Muhenda, the City health educator says all the teachers had come for their second dose.

According to Muhenda, over 2,500 teachers received their first jab in September this year.

“We are here for yet another vaccination exercise for teachers and non teaching staff in institutions of learning at various levels. The current exercise is basically for those that vaccinated in September and are now taking their second dose” Muhenda told the New Vision at the Kyebambe Girls Secondary School vaccination Center.

The second dose vaccination campaign for teachers will according to Muhenda go on for three days.

Over 2,000 teachers vaccinated

According to Muhenda, a total of 2,500 teachers took their first jab of the Sinovac vaccine in September.

“It is these people that we are expecting to come for their second dose of the vaccine. The Kyebambe vaccination center had over 1,000 clients for the first dose” Muhenda said.

He disclosed that the Ministry of Health recently sent to the district a total of 2,520 Sinovac vaccines.

“These are specifically for those in the education sector who took their first jab,” he emphasized.

More vaccination centers opened up

Sarah Ayesiga, the Kabarole Resident District Commissioner (RDC) and also chairperson of the Covid-19 taskforce says that more Covid-19 vaccination centers have been opened up across the district.

“Previously, we had only nine vaccination centers but as of today, we have placed vaccines at all Health Center IIIs and IVs for easy accessibility of the vaccine,” Ayesiga said.

According to the RDC, the district currently has a total of 17 vaccination centers.

The additional vaccination centers will according to the RDC reduce the congestion at the Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital.

According to Muhenda, the increased number of vaccination centers will also increase vaccine uptake.

Clients lose vaccination cards

Muhenda disclosed that vaccination teams have had to replace some of the vaccination cards.

This he explains was a result of some clients who lost their vaccination cards.

“Some vaccination cards have had to be replaced after their owners who had turned up for a second dose claimed to have lost them,” he said.

Vaccination campaign taken to village level

Due to the availability of enough vaccines in the district, RDC Ayesiga says her office has embarked on a massive mobilization campaign for all eligible Ugandans to be vaccinated.

“We have started engaging village leaders so that they can help us to mobilize the population for vaccination. Our vaccinating teams will be making outreaches to vaccinate people at village level” she said.

All this according to the RDC is done to ensure that a bigger number of the population is vaccinated ahead of January next year when the economy is expected to be fully unlocked.

Brain Kisembo, the District Health Officer says efforts are being made to incorporate Covid-19 vaccination in the routine vaccination at health centers.

“We r trying to bring on board all health centers to be Covid-19 immunization centers. This is being done as a sustainability plan to ensure that Covid-19 vaccination also becomes routine at health centers. Our teams are currently undergoing training,” Kisembo said.

Vaccine uptake in the district

In the month of November, Kabarole district received a total of 2,520 doses of Moderna vaccine, 2387 doses of Sinovac vaccine, and 21,240 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine, according to Kisembo.

“We thank the Ministry of Health because now we have enough vaccines. We are sure that all teaching and non-teaching staff in the district will have completed their doses by end of this month,” Kisembo said.

Kisembo also said that the district will soon start vaccination of all willing individuals above the age of 18 years.