Lira Vaccinates 102% of Targeted Children Against Polio

Lira has surpassed its target for children to be vaccinated against Polio by 2%.

On 14th January, the Ministry of Health and partners rolled out a mass polio vaccination exercise targeting 8.8 million children from five years below from across the country.

Lira district had a target of 56,788 children below the age of 5 to be vaccinated. However, the 3- days of house-to-house exercise saw a total of 58,689 vaccinated, equivalent to 102%.

Usually, it is border districts that shoot beyond 100% vaccination targets because parents from neighbouring countries bring in their children to take advantage. Lira's 102% performance could be a result of underestimating the target size among other possible factors.

Dr. Patrick Buchan Ocen, the District Health Officer who attributed the good performance to strong mobilization explained that all sub-counties met their vaccination target.

Eng byte:

//Cue in: “The exercise has been…//

Cue out: ...over 100%.”//

However, Ocen was quick to note that they had to involve security personnel in some parishes where some religious sect was de-campaigning the exercise.

Eng byte:

//Cue in: “Because of some challenges…//

Cue out: ... programs including vaccination.”//

Susan Akello, a mother of two whose children were vaccinated appreciates the efforts of the district team saying it did not only save her time but protected her children as well.

“I was getting ready to go to open my restaurant in town when the nurses came and vaccinated my children from home unlike for immunization where you have to go to the health center, this one is very convenient.”

Meanwhile Henry Okello Opio, a resident of Iwal sub county was forced to transport his wife and their 5 months old son to Lira Regional Referral Hospital where he was vaccinated from after the door to door vaccination team missed his home.

Eng byte:

//Cue in: “I was told…//

Cue out: ...a bit hard.”//

The mass polio vaccination exercise followed a surveillance report which confirmed that the water system in contained the polio virus and an eventual polio outbreak confirmed in August last year.