Uganda has received another 100,000 doses of the Mpox vaccine from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). According to Henry Kyobe Bosa, incident commander at the Ugandan Ministry of Health, the doses will be distributed to areas with the highest transmission rates of the virus, with young adults aged 25 to 35 prioritised for immunization. These areas are the capital Kampala and several districts in Central Uganda, including Mukono, Wakiso, and Masaka. Uganda launched its first round of Mpox vaccinations in February targeting high-risk individuals such as sex workers, taxi drivers, bar attendants, and street vendors. 10,000 persons were vaccinated in some of the most affected districts, including Kawempe and Makindye in Kampala. So far, the country has reported over 4000 confirmed Mpox cases and 37 deaths, mainly due to underlying health conditions like AIDS and diabetes.
Last week, the WHO warned that Uganda has the highest number of community-transmitted Mpox cases globally. In response, Ugandan health authorities have intensified their efforts to curb the outbreak through surveillance, case management, and public awareness campaigns.
