By Reporter
National Medical Stores (NMS) is set to carry out a free Yellow Fever vaccination exercise in Arua City in West Nile Region, officials announced on Tuesday.
The two-day exercise starts on Tuesday, March 23 at Police Grounds in Arua City.
The exercise shall benefit Ugandans living in and around Arua and West Nile at large from the age of 9 months to 59 years.
NMS’ Public Relations Officer (PRO) James Odong said this is part of NMS’ Corporate Social Responsibility.
“This free yellow fever vaccination is a token of our commitment to consistently contribute towards positive social development and better quality of life of Ugandans,” he explained.
“Due to COVID-19 Pandemic, strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in the fight against the novel Covid-19 will be observed.”
NMS has over the years carried out yellow fever vaccination activities in several parts of the country.
Uganda is considered a high-risk country for Yellow fever by a comprehensive global strategy to Eliminate Yellow fever Epidemics (EYE).
In 2020, the Ministry of Health launched the yellow fever vaccination campaign in West Nile after the disease claimed four lives.
NMS General Manager, Moses Kamabare emphasised that immunization remains the main strategic approach to prevent, contain and eliminate Yellow fever outbreaks.
“NMS has been an active partner with the people of Uganda for 27 years and it is an honor that we shall continue to defend and maintain. NMS is passionate about your lives,” said Kamabare.
“NMS has provided, and will continue to provide, the necessary medicines and other medical supplies including Personal Protective Equipment to Government Health Facilities and other institutions that are at the frontline in the fight against Covid-19 as advised by Ministry of Health,” he emphasised.
NMS’ mandate is to procure, store and distribute Essential Medicines and Medical Supplies (EMHS) to Public Health Facilities.
The institution will later this year open its fully automated pharmaceutical warehouse in Kajjansi off Entebbe road.
The spacious warehouse in Kajjansi will allow vehicles drive in to pick and drop medicines which is not the case at the stores in Entebbe.
The cold rooms which store sensitive medical supplies such as vaccines and laboratory commodities will have their storage capacity increased five-fold at the new structure.
NMS has been distributing COVID-19 vaccines across the country.
Yellow fever vaccination in Uganda is normally taken by people traveling out of the country, owing to its cost (about 100,000 a shot).
Yellow Fever, like malaria, is transmitted through mosquito bites.
Its symptoms include high fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting blood in stool and yellowing eyes.