![]() The immunization exercise involves administration of different vaccines, including yellow fever. An average of 15 children are immunized on the peak day (Wednesday). Immunization at the facility is done every weekday. In response to the yellow fever vaccine routine immunization rollout, parents in Bukakata sub-county are increasingly visiting Bukakata Health Centre III to have their children immunized. This will boost the prevention and management of yellow fever in the country,” said Dr Yonas Tegegn Woldemariam, WHO Representative in Uganda. “In line with the EYE recommendations, I would like to commend the government of Uganda for successfully introducing the yellow fever vaccine into routine immunization since October 2022. Yellow fever vaccine is now available in all health facilities as part of the routine immunization program and provided for free to children aged nine months of age. This is part of Uganda's commitment to the multi-stakeholder Eliminate Yellow Fever Epidemics (EYE) Strategy (2017-2026). With support from the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and Gavi, Uganda’s Ministry of Health is expected to immunize over 1.9 million children in 2023 with both yellow fever and measles-rubella vaccines. ![]() In 2022, there were two confirmed cases of yellow fever reported in Wakiso and Masaka districts. Since 2010, Uganda has had several yellow fever cases reported. Uganda is a high-risk country for yellow fever transmission due to less than 10 percent of the population being immunized against it, with sporadic outbreaks occurring every three to five years. The yellow fever vaccine can be safely given to infants aged 9–12 months at the same time as the measles vaccine in yellow fever-endemic countries through the routine immunization program The vaccine provides effective immunity within 10 days for 80–100% of people vaccinated, and within 30 days for more than 95% of people vaccinated. ![]() A single vaccine dose provides life-long protection against yellow fever disease. The yellow fever vaccine is safe, and affordable. Vaccination remains the most important means of preventing yellow fever. ![]() Associated bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics. ![]() Depending on the clinical manifestations, patients are treated for dehydration, liver and kidney failure, and fever among others. Like other viral diseases, yellow fever has no specific treatment but is managed symptomatically (treatment of symptoms). Yellow fever is transmitted to humans, from monkeys, by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito mainly in forested areas. “Many people in the community attribute diseases like yellow fever to witchcraft,” says Edward Mayanja, the public health officer for Bukakata sub-county, adding that this complicates supportive interventions. The efforts included promoting health seeking behaviour and addressing the myths and misconceptions about the disease. It took the joint effort of local leaders, village health teams (VHTs), and health workers to contain the situation. The laboratory confirmed case scared community members, fearing the disease would spread among the largely mobile fishing community. Located along the shores of Lake Victoria, the sub county is one of the areas that reported a case of yellow fever in 2022 through the sentinel surveillance system. Two hundred kilometers from Uganda’s capital Kampala lies Bukakata sub-county in Masaka district. ![]()
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