The Ministry of Health has rolled out the mass oral cholera vaccination in Hoima district, an exercise that started on May 2 and set to go on until May 6th. The second phase will then run from June 6th to June 10th, 2018.
According to the ministry, this campaign is targeting all persons above one year in the five sub counties of Kigorobya, Kabwoya, Kyangwali, Buseruka and Kigorobya town council, which are classified as cholera hotpots in Hoima district.
During the launch of the mass vaccination exercise on behalf of the Health Minister at Buseruka Sub county headquarters on Wednesday, the Hoima Resident District Commissioner, John Stephen Ekoom, appealed to residents to embrace the campaign.
Mr. Ekoom also cautioned those administering the vaccine against being tempted to solicit money from residents, saying this is a free government program.
Meanwhile, Florentina Rafeal, a consultant on oral cholera vaccination at the World Health Organization-WHO, said the world body is ready to provide technical guidance and information on how to combat cholera in the Hoima district and other parts of the country that are prone to the epidemic.
She called on government to always plan for emergencies such as epidemic outbreaks and other contagious diseases that can cause havoc in the country.
Dr. Nicholas Kwikiriza, health in charge of Buhaguzi sub district, says the district has made tremendous success in fighting cholera. He explains that although Hoima district registered 44 cholera deaths and more than 2000 cases since the epidemic broke out in February, the situation is under control.
A fresh cholera outbreak in Hoima was reported on February 8, 2018 at Sebigoro Landing site in Kabwoya Sub County following the influx of Congolese refugees fleeing tribal clashes between the Bagegere and Lendu in the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The outbreak claimed 44 people and left more than 2000 others hospitalized.
