Dennis Olaka
05:09

Vaccination Shunned Over Yellow Fever Card

26 Jan 2011, 08:51 2366 Views Kitgum, Uganda Health Report
The yellow Fever card issued after a yellow fever vaccination has become a bone of contention in Northern Uganda. The turn out for Vaccination center is steadily dwindling, as people shun the yellow fever vaccination certificate, which they associate with the NRM party color. Vaccination against yellow fever started on Saturday, targeting more than 900,00 people from Abim, Agago, Kitgum, Lamwoo and Pader districts. But four days into the exercise, the implementers are already worried about the concerns raised about the yellow fever card. John Komakech Ogwok, the Kitgum district LCV chairman, says he has received reports from those involved in the exercise, indicating that some people have turned away from the vaccination centers after they saw some people receiving the yellow cards. The chairman however warns that associating the card to party politics is disastrous to a population, that has already suffered severe consequences of yellow fever. Yellow fever is a viral infection, that causes symptoms which are extremely painful such as a raging fever, chills, vomiting, headaches, delirium, and swelling. People with yellow fever symptoms who do not get treatment soon enough experience kidney and liver failure and eventually death. Sister Grace Ogwang, the District Disease Surveillance Officer, says she has also received similar reports from Kitgum Town Council and Labongo-Layamo Sub County. The Kitgum LC V chairperson plans to launch a sensitization campaign about the meaning of the yellow card issued after vaccination. Under the World Health Organization's International Health Regulations, a yellow fever vaccination certificate may be required during international travel at border crossings. Some countries require all arriving travelers to show proof of yellow fever vaccination, while other countries require some travelers arriving or in transit from countries where yellow fever occurs to show proof of vaccination.

 

Tagged with: color yellow fever vacination

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Dennis Olaka