Uganda prepares for typhoid vaccine

PATH, an international nonprofit organization has embarked on collecting data and evidence as part of the preparation before the introduction of Typhoid vaccine in Uganda.

In a statement Dr. Phionah Atuhebwe, the regional technical advisor in charge vaccine and innovation said they are already working with Gavi vaccine Alliance and the ministry of health to ensure the program is successful.

‟We will assess the cost effectiveness of the vaccine and facilitate the technical review of the vaccine before it can be recommended by the WHO," she said in an interview.

PATH is working in partnership with center for vaccine Development based at the University of Maryland School of medicine and the University of Oxford.

Dr Kathy Neuzil, professor of microbiology at the University of Medicine said it is there hope that GAVI will finance the vaccine use in Uganda.


‟We are already doing a lot studies and we hope that in first phase the vaccine shall be piloted in Nepal and Malawi by the end of the year," she said.

She observed that typhoid can be eliminated but it takes a lot of effort including an overall improvement in water quality and sanitation.

A Typhoid outbreak in Kampala in 2015 affected over 10,000 people, according to the ministry of health. Globally the disease is estimated to affect 21 million people.