By Joseph Kiggundu
WAKISO — Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi has warned religious groups and individuals against discouraging parents from having their children vaccinated, saying the government will take action against people who interfere with the national immunisation exercise.
Baryomunsi made the remarks on Friday while launching the national measles-rubella mass vaccination campaign at Wakiso Health Centre IV.
The minister said some religious groups have been spreading messages questioning the safety of vaccines, which he dismissed as misinformation.
“There are some religious sects who go around telling people that the vaccine is not good and I am here to say that that is not true. The vaccine is very safe and healthy for our children because as a government we cannot use a bad vaccine against our children,” Baryomunsi said.
He warned that individuals found deliberately disrupting vaccination activities or discouraging communities from participating could face arrest.
Baryomunsi said Uganda had made significant progress in reducing deaths from childhood diseases through immunisation, recalling that when the current government came to power in 1986, many children were dying from vaccine-preventable diseases.
He attributed improvements in child survival and life expectancy partly to expanded access to healthcare and immunisation services.
The minister, however, expressed concern about children who receive an initial vaccine dose but are not brought back for subsequent doses.
He said incomplete vaccination has contributed to recurring measles outbreaks, with cases reported in more than 60 districts, prompting government to organise the five-day nationwide campaign.
Baryomunsi urged political, religious, cultural and community leaders to mobilise parents and ensure eligible children are taken to vaccination centres.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Dr Diana Atwine appealed to mothers to seek antenatal and delivery services early, followed by timely immunisation of their children.
Atwine said Wakiso District has a significant number of children who have not received recommended vaccines, making it an appropriate location for the national launch.
She also called for greater integration of health services, urging women to embrace family planning, maintain proper nutrition and seek medical attention when necessary.
Atwine further warned that poor sanitation and unhealthy living conditions contribute to preventable illnesses and deaths.
The Director General of Health Services, Prof. Charles Olaro, urged parents to take children aged between nine months and five years for the measles-rubella vaccination rather than waiting until they become sick.
He said measles and rubella are preventable diseases and called on communities to ensure that children who may miss the vaccination teams during the campaign are identified and reached.
Olaro also urged vaccination teams to engage parents respectfully, listen to their concerns and provide accurate information about the exercise.
Wakiso District Health Officer Mathis Lugoloobi welcomed the decision to hold the national launch in the district but called for increased supplies of medicines at health facilities.
He said Wakiso’s facilities serve not only residents of the district but also patients travelling from neighbouring areas, placing additional pressure on available resources.
Wakiso District LC5 Chairperson Ian Kyeyune asked government to upgrade Wakiso Health Centre IV to a hospital, saying the move would improve access to health services for the district’s growing population.
Kyeyune also raised concerns about staffing levels at health facilities, saying the district’s large population requires additional health workers.
The launch was attended by government officials, health workers and representatives of development partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, the United States and Save the Children.
The five-day campaign is intended to reach eligible children across the country and close gaps in measles-rubella immunisation coverage.