Parents in Busia County have been urged to ensure their children aged 10 years and below stay at home for the next five days so that they could benefit from the second phase of mass polio vaccination
Speaking to the press during the official launch of the exercise at Busia Polytechnic grounds on Friday, the County Director for Universal Health David Mukabi said that the vaccine must be taken in two doses in order to be complete.
“During the first phase, we managed to reach more than 300,000 and we are expecting to reach out to the same number,” he said,
Mukabi added those who were vaccinated during the first phase during the month of September would get the second dose of the vaccine while those who were not reached would also get a single dose of the vaccine.
‘Those who failed to get the first dose will get their second one in our health facilities after four weeks,” he explained.
He pointed out that the turnout for the first phase of immunisation was good in most parts of the County a part from Butula and Bunyala Sub counties that had a few challenges.
“Most parents who had doubts about the vaccine have been sensitised on its importance and we are still engaging the community to understand the importance of the exercise,” he said.
The official at the same time disclosed that the September mass polio immunisation exercise revealed that 133 children under the age of 10 had never been immunised against polio posing a significant health risk to the surrounding population.
By Salome Alwanda
