Summary:

• The Ministry of Health plans to hold individuals accountable for discouraging Covid-19 vaccinations, leading to a low uptake. This comes after the Auditor General’s report revealed the waste of Shs28 billion worth of vaccines.

The Ministry of Health has announced its intention to hold accountable those who actively discouraged the public from getting vaccinated against Covid-19, resulting in a low vaccine uptake. This response follows the Auditor General’s report, which revealed that Covid-19 vaccines valued at Shs28 billion were wasted and would be disposed of. Mr. Daniel Kyabayinze, the Director of Public Health, attributed the vaccine hesitancy to negative comments made by some individuals about the mass vaccination program.

Mr. Kyabayinze emphasized the impact of unfavorable communication on the vaccination effort, stating that every loss incurred was a consequence of misinformation. Speaking at the 8th graduation ceremony of field epidemiologists in Kampala, he mentioned that the disposal of expired vaccines would impose a significant financial burden on the government. To address this issue, collaboration with the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance was proposed to identify individuals responsible for undermining the government program.

Highlighting the legal aspect, Mr. Kyabayinze referred to laws governing the dissemination of information, emphasizing the consequences of spreading false information. He also cited the Public Health Act, which obliges the public to support government immunization programs and stipulates penalties for those obstructing the vaccination process.

The Auditor General’s recent report disclosed that Uganda is set to destroy Covid-19 drugs worth Shs28 billion due to a decline in demand, with additional stock set to expire next year. The funds used to import these drugs were obtained as a loan from the World Bank. The report also revealed the negative impact of misinformation on social media during the initial stages of the Covid-19 vaccination campaign.

Mr. Kyabayinze expressed satisfaction with the graduation of experienced public health professionals who could counteract misinformation and contribute solutions to the country’s challenges. He commended the new field epidemiologists for their commendable work during the Sudan Ebola outbreak.

In terms of financial support, the US government, represented by US Ambassador to Uganda Mr. William W Popp, pledged to continue funding the fellowship. However, Dr. Alex Ario, the program director of the Public Health Fellowship, urged the government to provide funding for sustainability. Ms. Amy Boore, the US Centre for Disease Control Uganda country director, emphasized the importance of extending the fellowship to other countries, underscoring the borderless nature of diseases. Since its inception in 2015, the Public Health Fellowship program has produced 93 epidemiologists.