National Medical Stores (NMS) is conducting free yellow fever vaccination at the Uganda Revenue Authority organized its 12th edition of the Taxpayers’ Appreciation Week in Kampala.
The free-entry event to all, which is scheduled to take place from September 27 to 29 at Kololo ceremonial grounds, National Medical Stores (NMS) will be conducting free yellow fever vaccination for all, Dan Kimosho Atwijukire the NMS Public Relations Officer confirmed to TheUgandan.
According to UNEPI, Uganda has had two major yellow fever outbreaks in the last seven years. In 2010, there was an outbreak in the Northern part of the country, while two year back another outbreak was reported in Masaka, Rukungiri and Kalangala districts.
Against this background, NMS General Manager Moses Kamabare said they have partnered with the Ministry of Health and Mulago Hospital because together they share a common commitment to achieve the government target of attaining a middle income population. This can be done by improving public health.
He emphasised that while it is everyone’s right to receive medicines, it is also the responsibility of the public to achieve good health and prevent diseases. He therefore called upon everyone to come out for the free yellow fever vaccination noting that 75% of all diseases in Uganda are preventable.
“We are making the yellow fever vaccine free and more accessible for these 3 days because it is in line with our mandate to procure, store and distribute medicines down to the people who need them,” he added in a statement he issued from the NMS Head Office in Entebbe.
“NMS’ promise Passionate about your life is the theme for the activity targeting 90,000 people between the age of 9 months and 59 years. The only requirement is a national ID presented at the NMS tent during the Taxpayers Appreciation.”
For two consecutive years now (2016 and 2017), UNICEF has commended the National Medical Stores for its effective distribution of vaccines at national level during the annual Effective Vaccine Management (EVM) workshop for Eastern and Southern Africa. UNICEF has applauded NMS for ensuring an increase in Uganda’s immunization coverage from 52% to 97%, according to a UN assessment.
Kamabare says the recognition motivates NMS to aim at 100% immunization rate.
