Busia county targets 3,000 residents in Mpox vaccination drive

At least 3,000 residents of Busia County are expected to receive Mpox vaccination in a 10-day exercise starting on September 3, health officials have announced.

Busia Sub-County Health Promotion Officer Kennedy Oloo said they will prioritise high-risk groups, including truck drivers, sex workers, and people who interact with them.

“The exercise will take place for 10 days, and we will have healthcare workers stationed at strategic points to ensure that the population at large is served,” Oloo said.

Busia has so far recorded 68 Mpox cases and two deaths.

Oloo said the vaccination campaign targets 1,500 residents in Busia Sub-County and another 1,500 in Teso North Sub-County.

He noted that community engagement has been key in the preparations.

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“We have engaged representatives from truck drivers, sex workers, religious leaders, boda boda riders, and community leaders to ensure the targeted population is well sensitised,” he said.

Busia Sub-County HIV Coordinator Joan Anyanga urged residents to maintain high hygiene standards as part of prevention.

Anyanga emphasised the importance of handwashing, use of sanitisers, and personal protective equipment to curb the spread of the virus.

“Busia is particularly vulnerable to Mpox because long-distance truck drivers passing through from countries like Congo interact with locals in transit and often spend nights in hotels, increasing the risk of infection,” she said.

She revealed that surveillance and routine screening are ongoing at entry points along the border.

“About two or three weeks ago, Uganda also embarked on an Mpox vaccination exercise, so we are working as a team to prevent further spread,” she said.

Civil society representatives declared support for the vaccination campaign.

Human rights activist Eunice Adhiambo urged the residents to turn out in large numbers and get vaccinated and called on health officials to enforce hygiene standards in hotels.

“We need to ensure hoteliers meet the recommended hygiene levels to stop the spread of the virus,” Adhiambo said.

Kevin Odulo, a resident, appealed to the government to scale up the exercise. “The number of vaccine doses should be increased to cover more people for broader protection,” he said.

The vaccination campaign is supported by UNICEF through the Ministry of Health in partnership with the Busia County Government.

Mpox is a viral zoonotic disease that spreads through close human contact.

It is characterised by rashes with blisters, swollen lymph nodes, headaches, muscle aches, and, in severe cases, complications that can lead to death.

Transmission occurs through skin-to-skin contact, sexual activity, mouth-to-mouth contact, or inhaling infectious respiratory particles.