Measles breaks out in 42 districts

The Health Minister, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng has revealed that 42 districts in the country have reported an outbreak of measles.
Dr Aceng told health officials and district leaders during the Annual Health Sub-Programme Joint Review Mission in Kampala yesterday that by the end of last financial year, 20 districts had confirmed measles outbreaks.
“This later rose to 42 districts by September 2024. We carried out a targeted response to 30 districts and we plan to have a nationwide catch-up in November last month,” she said.
“I appeal to all the districts to support the efforts –Measles-Rubella vaccinations, which will also be part of the integrated child health days. We need to put an end to this measles outbreak before it spreads to avoid reopening the measles wards because this will be another added burden,” she added.
The minister indicated that the outbreak was due to low vaccination coverage. She appealed to Ugandans to stop listening to people who are campaigning against vaccination.
“I also want to appeal to all of us to embrace vaccination and stop listening to anti-vaxxers [those who are opposed to vaccinations]…. If we had focused on vaccination and reached out to the zero-dose children, we would not be having a measles outbreak,” she said.
The ministry said there is an increase in the number of children who have never received any of the essential vaccines meant to protect them from diseases.
The number almost doubled in the last two years from 55,000 in the year 2021 to 96,000 in 2023, according to report presented in Kampala yesterday by researchers from the Gavi Zero Dose Learning Hub in Uganda, which is being implemented by the Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, PATH and Makerere University School of Public Health, with support from Gavi, a global vaccine alliance.
ABOUT MEASLES
Measles, according to the WHO, is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus. It spreads easily when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. It can cause complications and even death. Being vaccinated is the best way to prevent getting sick with measles or spreading it.