Health minister warns district officials not to transform vaccine-distribution vehicles into fish-selling vehicles

1 May 2025, 10:48 am

By Ronald Ssemagonja

The Minister of Health, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, yesterday at the National Medical Stores in Kajjansi, Wakiso district, officiated at the launch of the vaccine last-mile delivery initiative which aims at ensuring that vaccines are delivered directly to health facilities every month and also ensuring timely and reliable access across the country. Before this initiative, deliveries stopped at the district or city vaccine stores. “This initiative will strengthen our immunization program by reducing the stock-outs, preventing wastage and reaching zero-dose children who have never received any vaccine,” she said. The launch was graced by different partners including, GAVI, WHO, PATH, among others. A total of USD 2 million, has been spent to purchase the vehicles. The minister confirmed that the vehicles altogether are 28 but they have first received 20 of them. This rollout of the vaccine is a bold step towards achieving universal vaccine coverage and equitable health access across Uganda.

“We have to ensure that health workers use these vaccines. It is not just a matter of supply but there is need to ensure that we improve on vaccine supervision which is definitely weak in some areas. We have 12 districts which are poorly performing and some are in Busoga region, that is why we decided to start with Busoga region. Their vaccine coverage levels are quiet low and obviously there is a need to ensure that the cold chain systems are well maintained, so that when national medical stores (NMS) delivers, the vaccines remain in good state as they are being used,” Aceng explained. The minister called upon responsible personnel to make sure that they supervise and monitor the process.

“I am aware that the National Medical Stores received a total of 20 vehicles and 8 more are next to be received. This is a great milestone. 28 vehicles are not enough, we have 149 districts, therefore I continue to appeal to the partners at all levels, we need to walk together and fill in these vehicles. These vehicles will be deployed to support distribution within districts and will be managed by NMS. No district should hijack these vehicles and transform them into fish selling vehicles. They remain the sole property of NMS, only for vaccine distribution and I’m saying this because I have evidence of what has previously happened with COVID-19 pick-ups and the GAVI pick-ups, so let us maintain these vehicles as they do the work they are supposed to do,” she said.

The minister went on and appealed to everyone to support the teams by providing relevant feedback and recommendation towards improvement. “As we embark on this crucial path, let us support the teams. I also want to task the National Medical Stores together with UNEPI, to continue collecting this vital information. Please take note that this rollout will be done in phases,” she .said In the same manner, Dr. Medard Bikyeterezo of National Drug Authority who represented the board chairperson of National Medical Stores, applauded the partners for enabling them achieve this milestone. “I thank our partners for this. The designs of these vehicles are the best in Africa,” he said. The funds came from Uganda government, World Bank, GAVI and other partners.