Immunisation halted as districts run out of gas
May 04, 2008
OVER 22 districts have rescheduled their immunisation programmes due to shortage of gas. Mbale, Arua, Masindi, Apac, Bugiri, Kabarole, Kamuli, Mbarara, Kayunga, Kaabong, Nakapiripirit, Nebbi, Pader, Paliisa, Tororo, Namutumba, Bududa, Manafwa, Nyadri, Butaleja, Mpigi and Bushenyi districts have run
By Halima Shaban
OVER 22 districts have rescheduled their immunisation programmes due to shortage of gas. Mbale, Arua, Masindi, Apac, Bugiri, Kabarole, Kamuli, Mbarara, Kayunga, Kaabong, Nakapiripirit, Nebbi, Pader, Paliisa, Tororo, Namutumba, Bududa, Manafwa, Nyadri, Butaleja, Mpigi and Bushenyi districts have run out of gas and no supply had been provided by the ministry of health for the past month.
“The proportion of health facilities closing their immunisation service was smaller in Kabarole, Nebbi and Bushenyi districts and was highest in Mbarara, Mpigi, Budduda, Manafwa, Kaabong, Nakapiripirit and Apac,†revealed the sources that tallied the health centres.
Longino Ndyanabo, the Bushenyi district chairman, reported that the immunisation centres in Bushenyi could not carry out routine immunisation because the vaccines could not be refrigerated due to shortage of gas.
“Without gas which is used to keep the vaccine fridges functional, Uganda National Expanded Programme for Immunisation (UNEPI) has not delivered the vaccines to the districts for fear that they would get spoilt,†Ndyanabo said.
Nazarious Akambikira, the district health secretary, said the district had used its own resources to collect the gas from the National Medical Stores, yet the government policy was that the health ministry should deliver it to districts.
Bushenyi is among 22 districts that have rescheduled the immunisation programme. Immunisation helps build the body’s defense system by giving vaccines either through an injection or by mouth.
Uganda’s immunisation schedule is for eight- killer diseases, Diphtheria, Measles, Tetanus, Polio, Tuberculosis, Whooping cough, Hepatitis B and Haemophilus Influenza B illness responsible for causing meningitis and pneumonia.
Dr. Kenya Mugisha, the director of health services in charge of clinical and curative services, says the ministry is sorting the problem.
“Supplies and procurement management is a very complex issue although we (MOH) ensure to make it available right up to the grassroots,†he said.
For the case of immunisation, Kenya acknowledged a shortage of gas for but denied there was a crisis.
He said immunisation programmes thrive on a cold-chain (the stabilisation of the temperature right from the manufacturer to the time the child or person receives the vaccine). “We cannot run an immunisation programme without a cold chain.
Some of these vaccines are living so they must be maintained at a constant temperature range between +2 to +8, altering the temperature may kill or incapacitate the vaccines.â€
The UNEPI programme manager, Isa Makumbi, says on a monthly basis, UNEPI is expected to refill 1,416 gas cylinders and deliver them to districts that are responsible for delivering them to the health units. “We have 2,500 immunisation centres.
Each centre must have three cylinders. In total, we need about 7,500 cylinders for the exercise,†he said.
Why Immunise
Reduces suffering to child and family members due to ill health
Reduces disability and death to the child and burden to parents, community and the nation
Contributes to child’s proper growth and development.
Saves time and money spent on treatment which contributes to socio-economic development
Prevents the eight killer vaccine — preventable diseases
OVER 22 districts have rescheduled their immunisation programmes due to shortage of gas. Mbale, Arua, Masindi, Apac, Bugiri, Kabarole, Kamuli, Mbarara, Kayunga, Kaabong, Nakapiripirit, Nebbi, Pader, Paliisa, Tororo, Namutumba, Bududa, Manafwa, Nyadri, Butaleja, Mpigi and Bushenyi districts have run out of gas and no supply had been provided by the ministry of health for the past month.
“The proportion of health facilities closing their immunisation service was smaller in Kabarole, Nebbi and Bushenyi districts and was highest in Mbarara, Mpigi, Budduda, Manafwa, Kaabong, Nakapiripirit and Apac,†revealed the sources that tallied the health centres.
Longino Ndyanabo, the Bushenyi district chairman, reported that the immunisation centres in Bushenyi could not carry out routine immunisation because the vaccines could not be refrigerated due to shortage of gas.
“Without gas which is used to keep the vaccine fridges functional, Uganda National Expanded Programme for Immunisation (UNEPI) has not delivered the vaccines to the districts for fear that they would get spoilt,†Ndyanabo said.
Nazarious Akambikira, the district health secretary, said the district had used its own resources to collect the gas from the National Medical Stores, yet the government policy was that the health ministry should deliver it to districts.
Bushenyi is among 22 districts that have rescheduled the immunisation programme. Immunisation helps build the body’s defense system by giving vaccines either through an injection or by mouth.
Uganda’s immunisation schedule is for eight- killer diseases, Diphtheria, Measles, Tetanus, Polio, Tuberculosis, Whooping cough, Hepatitis B and Haemophilus Influenza B illness responsible for causing meningitis and pneumonia.
Dr. Kenya Mugisha, the director of health services in charge of clinical and curative services, says the ministry is sorting the problem.
“Supplies and procurement management is a very complex issue although we (MOH) ensure to make it available right up to the grassroots,†he said.
For the case of immunisation, Kenya acknowledged a shortage of gas for but denied there was a crisis.
He said immunisation programmes thrive on a cold-chain (the stabilisation of the temperature right from the manufacturer to the time the child or person receives the vaccine). “We cannot run an immunisation programme without a cold chain.
Some of these vaccines are living so they must be maintained at a constant temperature range between +2 to +8, altering the temperature may kill or incapacitate the vaccines.â€
The UNEPI programme manager, Isa Makumbi, says on a monthly basis, UNEPI is expected to refill 1,416 gas cylinders and deliver them to districts that are responsible for delivering them to the health units. “We have 2,500 immunisation centres.
Each centre must have three cylinders. In total, we need about 7,500 cylinders for the exercise,†he said.
Why Immunise
Reduces suffering to child and family members due to ill health
Reduces disability and death to the child and burden to parents, community and the nation
Contributes to child’s proper growth and development.
Saves time and money spent on treatment which contributes to socio-economic development
Prevents the eight killer vaccine — preventable diseases