Mass vaccination planned as measles outbreak hits Adjumani

ADJUMANI - Adjumani resident district commissioner (RDC) Toko Swaib has urged parents to prepare for a mass immunisation exercise set to begin next week following a confirmed measles outbreak in parts of the district.

"From next week, a team will be on the ground for mass vaccination. I want to urge all the parents to cooperate with team to ensure the children are vaccinated to prevent the spread of the disease," the RDC emphasised.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that can lead to severe complications, especially in young children.

According to Paul Olowy, the district surveillance focal person, eight positive cases have so far been confirmed, with the majority reported in parts of Aliwara village in Apaa, Itirikwa subcounty, raising concerns among local leaders.

"We were alerted by one of the community members about the outbreak in the area through a written note that eight people were already affected. We picked the samples from them, which were confirmed positive from the Uganda Virus Research Institute," Olowy said.

Findings from the area showed that 65% of the 32 people assessed were not vaccinated against measles due to the ongoing Apaa border conflict, which has left residents living in fear and unable to freely move and access services.

The cases were identified following reports of children presenting with symptoms such as high fever, red eyes, persistent cough and rashes.

Local health teams have been deployed to the area to conduct surveillance and begin emergency response measures such as contact tracing and vaccination.

The outbreak in Apaa comes amid heightened vigilance across Uganda following recent measles cases reported in other districts.

Dr Christopher Adiku, the national supervisor for integrated child health days at the Ministry of Health, emphasised the urgency of the situation, noting that early response is critical in preventing wide transmission.