Where is Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine?

Jun 19, 2013

Uganda is one of the beneficiaries of Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunisation (GAVI), which was first launched in 2005 and later renewed in 2012.

By Agnes Pauline Apolot

Uganda is one of the beneficiaries of Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunisation (GAVI), which was first launched in 2005 and later renewed in 2012.

With the second disbursement, Ugandan children are expected to be prevented against immunizable diseases such as tuberculosis, polio, tetanus, diphtheria, rotavirus, and pneumonia.

In April 2013, Uganda hosted the African Vaccination Week which took place in Kamuli district and subsequently, the Government launched a new vaccine, referred to as pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), against pneumonia for children below the age of one year in Iganga district.

Immunisation coverage has recently dropped drastically from 90% in 2010/11 to 85% in 2011/12. The country seems to have been hit by another wave of shortage of vaccines in health facilities. The vaccines in Uganda have been under the docket of Ministry of Health, specifically under the management of Uganda National Expanded Programme on Immunisation (UNEPI) until recently 2012/13, when the importation, delivery and general management of vaccines was transferred to National Medical Stores (NMS).

After the launch of the new pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), many parents and guardians have had high expectations of the new vaccine unfortunately, there is no indication of availability of the vaccine in most health facilities.

The health workers have been trained on how to administer the vaccines but until now, the vaccine is not available at the Districts Vaccine Stores (DVS). TV and radio announcements have continued to be aired by media houses but there is no vaccine in the health facilities. The health workers have also continued to receive Short Messages System (SMS) informing them of the availability of the vaccine and how to administer the vaccine and yet the vaccine is not there.

The question, however, is, where is the Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine? Are Ugandans being duped? Why did the responsible people/institutions decide to launch what was not there? Was it to please the donor community so as to access more funds? If the people concerned were not ready to roll out the vaccine, they could have waited.

How much has been spent so far on none existent vaccine? I.e. during the launch, radio adverts and SMS to the health workers? All these un-answered questions have brought confusion among the communities and health workers. The mothers take their children to be vaccinated as per the radio adverts but only to be told at the health facility that they have not yet received the vaccine. Have Ugandans thought of the danger we are placing these children? Soon the mothers will stop taking their children to the health facilities because they know that they will be told there is no vaccine.

NMS should, therefore, ensure that there is need to supply pneumococcal conjugate vaccine to health facilities to make sure children can access the vaccines. This will reduce the risk of children dying from pneumonia which is now preventable. NMS should also stop the radio adverts about the availability of vaccines until the vaccine is available to all health facilities. This should also apply to the numerous messages received by the health workers about the non- existent vaccine.

The writer is a Senior Programme Officer

Capacity Building and Empowerment

Uganda Debt Network

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