By Fred Mwebembezi
KABAROLE: Kabarole District and Fort Portal City have scored 100% in the recently concluded national house to-house mass polio vaccination.
The two local governments targeted 69,437 projected children under 5 years but ended up vaccinating 69,682 of them, scoring one hundred percent.
Nationally, the ministry of health targeted nine million (9) children under five years, but 8.3 million children were vaccinated, representing 95%.
The excelling sub counties in Kabarole district include Mugusu sub county, which performed beyond the target number and scored 243%, Kijura Town Council 104%, Kasenda Town Council 106%, Hakibaale sub county 110%, Kicwamba 234%, and Kiko Town Council 106%, while the least performing sub counties are Rwengaju 70%, Busoro 78%, which is below the national target of 90%.
In Fort Portal City, the North division performed excellently, with a 100%, while the Central division performed badly, with an 82%.
Ms. Catherine Kemigabo, the Senior Health Educator in Kabarole, attributes the excellent performance to parents and leaders’ responsiveness and understanding of the benefits of polio vaccination. She commends the VHTs, local leaders, and different stakeholders for their engagement in the mobilization of the masses to embrace the vaccination exercise.
Kemigabo, however, says in Fort Portal City they were faced with the challenge of resistance from the parents, but the issue was addressed after several engagements with them on the need and value of vaccination. Kemigabo explains that season two polio vaccination will soon come as a booster for the children.
Uganda launched the National House to House Mass Polio Vaccination on Friday 4th January to Sunday 16th January 2022 with the aim of protecting children under five years from being attacked by the polio virus that was recently detected in Kampala.
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