Residents in central Uganda are set to benefit from free screening and vaccination against hepatitis B that has been rolled out by the Ministry of Health in the region.
The development follows unending calls by local leaders and Members of Parliament from the Central region who repeatedly petitioned the Ministry of Health demanding for free vaccination against the virus citing prohibitive costs and fake vaccines administered by private health workers.
This is after the districts in the central region allegedly registered a high number of Hepatitis B infections, many of which are not documented.
Now, in a notice issued by Doctor Diana Atwine the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Health on January 31st 2020, there is free vaccination against hepatitis B which has commenced across districts in Central Uganda which include; Buvuma, Kayunga, Buikwe , Mukono, Nakaseke , Luweero , Kiboga, Nakasongola , Mityana and Wakiso.
According to Atwine, the screening and vaccination will be free and in any case of extortion, members of the public are urged to call 0800100066 for follow up.
Dr. Atwiine also explains that those who will be screened and found Hepatitis B positive should be referred to regional hospitals for management.
The notice indicates that treatment for people found positive is free at regional hospitals and but there are plans to scale it up to general hospitals.
According to the Luweero District Health Officer Doctor Innocent Nkonwa, the district has so far received 20,750 doses of Hepatitis B vaccines for start and health workers have been trained to conduct the routine vaccination which will be held at health centre IIIs, IVs and general hospitals targeting people above 18 years.
