Health authorities in Luweero district, under the Luwero District Measles Task Force (DTF), have organized a massive vaccination campaign against the measles outbreak in the district.
While addressing the media at the district health offices, Dr. Innocent Nkonwa, the District Health Officer, said that Luwero has documented more than 50 cases of measles among children under the age of 5, with cases discovered in Luwero Town Council and in Luwero sub-county. According to him, five samples were taken to the Uganda Virus Research Institute and all returned positive.
“The five-day immunization exercise, which has begun on September 2-6, 2024, aims to vaccinate around 105,000 children aged between nine months and 11 years with the Measles Rubella vaccine,” he said.
This campaign is a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Health, the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), and the Uganda National Expanded Programme on Immunization (UNEPI).
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The authorities emphasized the importance of vaccination as the most effective means to prevent measles and protect vulnerable populations, particularly young children, from severe complications associated with the disease.
The World Health Organization states that measles is a highly contagious disease causing fever, rash, cough, and watery eyes, with early symptoms lasting between four and seven days. If not treated, it can lead to blindness, severe breathing issues, ear infections, diarrhea, and dehydration, among others.
