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Over 90,000 Mukono residents yet to get their second Covid-19 vaccination

Over 90,000 Mukono residents are still waiting for their second Covid-19 vaccination. Despite more than 3 lakh people receiving their second dose, the district health officials state that awareness and availability of the vaccine are major factors contributing to the delay. The importance of mobilization and creating awareness about the second dose is emphasized, as these individuals are entitled to healthcare protection. Lack of access to the same vaccine received in the first inoculation has also led to many people missing out on their second doses. The confusion and chaos surrounding vaccine availability have made locals hesitant to start the vaccination process again.

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While the district has managed to get more than 3 lakh people vaccinated with the second dose, over 90,000 residents of Mukono District are yet to receive their second dose of Covid-19 vaccine as stated by the district health officials.

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Uganda received more than 44.7 million vaccine doses through donations and procurements by early May this year, with an estimate of 71% of the targeted 22 million (49.6% of the overall population) with the first dose.

According to Dr Stephen Mulindwa, Mukono District Health Officer (DHO), 360,962 residents received their first dose, while 270,816 received their second dose. However, 90,146 people are still waiting their second vaccination. Dr. Mulindwa further stated that although the first dose was well received, people have not got vaccinated with the second dose due to various reasons including lack of awareness about the importance of the vaccination.

"There is a need to mobilise and create awareness for these people to go for the second dose because they are entitled to healthcare risks," said Dr Mulindwa.

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According to Ms Sylivia Nandawula, a Village Health Team member, many people who showed up for the second dose couldn't find the type of vaccine they received at the first inoculation. This led to many people missing out on their second doses in spite of healthcare providers moving village to village mobilizing people to get their second vaccination.

While the medical system has been working on various vaccines there has been lot of chaos over which one to provide in most locations. This has made the locals face trouble due to insufficiency of the vaccine that they received earlier. "While some forgot the dates they were supposed to return for the second jab, when they finally arrived at the vaccination centres, they were asked to start with their first vaccine again due to the changed vaccines. This made the people reluctant to take the vaccine all over again," Nandawula explained.

Mr Hebert Yiga, a Watoni resident, said he did not receive the second dose despite showing up at various vaccination centres and requesting for the AstraZeneca vaccine with which he was vaccinated the first time.

"In Nakisunga Sub-county, I got AstraZeneca and when I showed-up for my second jab, they were giving Pfizer, and the health official asked me to visit another centre to get AstraZeneca," he explained.

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