The Government is in the final stages of securing two types of vaccines for Mpox, a viral disease also known as Monkeypox.
Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, the Minister for Health confirmed this during a press conference at the ministry headquarters in Kampala, noting that the government is considering deployment of Mpox vaccines including, MVA-BN and LC16.
MVA-BN is a two-dose regimen with a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval recommended in adults while LC16 is produced in Japan with local regulatory approval recommended for both adults and children.
Dr Aceng says that both vaccines are undergoing Emergency Use Licensure by the World Health Organization (WHO) and clearance by the National Drug Authority (NDA) to be used in Uganda.
She says that Africa CDC has so far allocated 20,000 doses of MVA-BN vaccine to cater 1,000 individuals in Uganda and the government is working with global partners to secure additional doses of Mpox vaccine.
Currently, Uganda has recorded a total of 10 confirmed cases of Mpox with Kasese and Mayuge districts having three cases each, followed by Kampala with two and Wakiso together with Amuru with one each.
According to the Ministry of Health, four individuals have been recovered and six are still receiving care at the National Isolation Facility in Entebbe, while a total of 49 contacts of the confirmed cases have been identified and are under close contact monitoring.
Meanwhile, Minister Aceng reveals that 60 percent of the confirmed cases are male and 40 percent are female, and over 40 percent of the affected individuals fall within the 30-39 age bracket.
Aceng says there is no immediate cause for alarm, but urges the public to remain vigilant to prevent further spread.
Dr. Henry Kyobe, Team Lead for Mpox Management at the Ministry of Health, highlighted the high-risk zones, particularly noting Kasese and over 20 districts bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
He warned Truck drivers and sex workers to be cautious since they are at increased risk of contracting the disease.
Dr Daniel Kyabayinze, the Director Public Health at the Health Ministry advised that Mpox can spread through various channels, including human-to-human contact, contact with contaminated materials, mother-to-child transmission, and through affected animals
However, the Minister has assured Ugandans that the outbreak of Mpox (monkeypox) in the country is under control and being managed efficiently by the ministry.
By Ben Musanje
6th Sept 2024
END
