Kampala, Uganda | The Minister of Health, Jane Ruth Aceng, has flagged off a consignment of operational equipment aimed at strengthening immunisation services and improving outreach to underserved communities across Uganda.
The equipment, procured through the Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance Equity Accelerator Fund with support from UNICEF Uganda, is expected to enhance the capacity of health workers to reach children who have faced challenges accessing routine immunisation services.
Speaking during the flag-off ceremony, Aceng said the initiative forms part of the government’s continued efforts to expand vaccine coverage and ensure that no child is left behind in the country’s immunisation programmes.
She noted that Gavi supports vaccination of about half of the world’s children against deadly and debilitating diseases, adding that the new equipment will significantly strengthen the ability of health workers to reach communities that are often difficult to access.
The consignment includes motorcycles to facilitate mobility for district health educators, as well as portable camping tents, sleeping bags, raincoats, backpacks, umbrellas, gumboots, helmets and life jackets. The equipment will support field teams conducting immunisation outreach, supervising health facilities and following up children who miss their scheduled vaccines.
According to the Ministry of Health Uganda, the motorcycles will particularly support District Health Educators in strengthening supervision of health facilities and tracking children who have missed vaccination appointments.
Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health, Diana Atwine, announced that more than 1,000 solar-powered cold chain vaccine fridges and freezers will also be distributed to districts across the country.
Atwine said the equipment will improve vaccine storage and handling, particularly in remote health facilities where electricity supply remains unreliable.
Health officials say the deployment of the cold chain equipment will strengthen Uganda’s immunisation infrastructure and ensure vaccines remain safe and effective while reaching communities in hard-to-reach areas.
They added that the support from Gavi and UNICEF will play a critical role in improving immunisation coverage and protecting more children from vaccine-preventable diseases across the country.
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