The Ministry of Health, together with the Uganda National Expanded Programme on Immunization (UNEPI), has flagged off the second phase of their Cold Chain Equipment project at their headquarters in Kampala.

This important move is supposed to boost immunization rates and improve the health of people in Uganda.

A total of 776 refrigerators and 346 pieces of cold chain equipment were sent to selected districts.

Speaking at the flag-off event on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, Permanent Secretary Diana Atwine said that the project aims to provide efficient, sustainable, and reliable vaccine storage solutions within the national cold chain system. 

“This plan should help cut down on operational costs and make it easier to manage and keep the cold chain infrastructure in good shape,” Dr. Atwine noted.

The newly introduced cold chain equipment will significantly boost how much vaccines can be stored, making sure they stay effective and potent and maintaining the right temperature during storage and transportation. This will prevent the vaccines from causing damage and therefore improve the health results among the people of Uganda.

The initiative is funded by GAVI-The Vaccine Alliance and the World Bank with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

 The successful implementation of this project is a crucial step towards protecting public health and making sure that all Ugandans can get the vital vaccinations they need.