Pwd’s & Elderly demand for the extension of vaccination centers

When the Ministry of Health embarked on the Covid-19 vaccination exercise, the elderly and people with disabilities ( PWds) cited several challenges hindering them from going for it, among them included transport difficulties and overcrowding at vaccination centres,The services were extended to village level and some received their first dose now they are demanding for another extension in order to be fully vaccinated.

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Theresa Namuddu, 70, a resident of Lwanyonyi Village in Nama Sub-county, Mukono District, says she received her first dose and is appealing to authorities to intervene so that she is fully vaccinated.

“I had no transport to go for vaccination at Mukono General Hospital. Good enough, my area chairman informed me that the health team had extended the vaccines to my village and I went for vaccination at Lwanyonyi Primary School,” she said.

She added: “I had friends also who were going to miss out on this exercise due to long distances and overcrowding at the vaccination centres but they also turned up for the jab when the services were brought closer.”

Norah Namugambe, a visually impaired resident of Nsambwe in Mukono Municipality, said she was to miss out on immunization if it was not extended to her village since she is unable to move to Goma Health Center 111 for immunization.

“When I heard the good news of extending vaccination to Nsambwe playgrounds, I was relieved. I went there early in the morning and the health team attended to me very fast,’ now lam expecting to have my second dose at the same centre if leaders come to my rescue”; she said.

Mr Balaba Mugarula, the Chairman of Takajjunge Village in Nama Sub-county, said the vaccination exercise moved on smoothly and has appealed to authorities to make plans to bring vaccines closer to the locals since many can’t make it to Mukono General Hospital for their second dose.

“The exercise was conducted in our LC 1 office and the turn up was so good,” he said.

Ms Annet Nakanwagi, the woman Councillor representing persons with disabilities (PWDs) at the district council, has also called on the authorities to bring vaccines to the village level so that the Pwds can get another chance of receiving their second dose.

She says many PWDs and the elderly would miss out on the second dose due to several challenges including transport difficulties and negative information about the vaccine, among others.

Mr Hussein Kiggundu the councillor representing Pwds at Mukono Central division says his electorates were so much affected by Covid 19 in that they can’t afford transport to Mukono General Hospital for their second dose and something has to be done to help them out.

Ms Betty Hope Nakasi, the Mukono District Speaker, said as the district leadership, they are calling for the continued extension of such services to locals.

“Having immunisation exercise at the village level will save locals’ time and transport costs to the distant immunisation centres. Many would have missed out since Covid-19 has affected them so much to the extent of some sleeping on empty stomachs”; she said.

Statistics
According to the Mukono District Health Officer Dr Stephen Mulindwa the cumulative number of people vaccinated for first dose is 27011 and second dose is 360604.

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