Uganda is set to begin a vaccination campaign in February to combat the spread of Mpox, following the arrival of 2,000 doses of the Mpox vaccine from the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
Minister of Health, Jane Ruth Aceng, announced on Friday that the vaccines will target high-risk individuals, including close contacts of confirmed Mpox cases and frontline healthcare workers in areas with ongoing transmission. The vaccination drive is expected to cover up to 1,000 people.
Since confirming the first cases of Mpox in August 2023, Uganda has reported 1,712 confirmed infections and 10 deaths. Many of those who died had pre-existing conditions such as HIV/AIDS, malnutrition, diabetes, and sickle cell disease. However, over 1,000 people have recovered and been discharged from treatment facilities, according to the Ministry of Health.
Aceng reassured the public that Uganda remains a safe destination for tourists, investors, and traders, while emphasizing the importance of staying alert and reporting suspected cases to healthcare facilities.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared Mpox a public health emergency of international concern in August, highlighting the risk of global spread. Mpox, also known as monkeypox, is a viral disease transmitted through close contact and presents symptoms such as fever, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, muscle aches, skin rashes, and back pain.
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