World Immunization Week: Celebrating health workers behind vaccinations

For centuries and all around the world, parents and caregivers are protecting their children against killer diseases by ensuring their children are vaccinated and on time. Their efforts have paid off. In the past two decades, more than 1.1 billion have been immunized, saving 4-5 million lives each year. 

In Uganda, millions of children have been reached with life-saving vaccines. UNICEF continues to support Ministry of Health efforts towards strengthening national immunization programmes to ensure life-saving vaccines reach the arms of each child, no matter who they are or where. UNICEF also supports procurement of vaccines and equipment required to ensure successful national immunization drives.

However, without committed health workers to vaccinate the children, the achievements mentioned would not be realized. 

As we celebrate World Immunization Week 2022, we appreciate health workers behind routine immunizations for children in health facilities and communities.

Among them is Grace Achir Ochan from Nebbi General Hospital. We salute them! 

Grace Achir Ochan wears two hats at Nebbi General Hospital. She is an enrolled midwife and immunization focal person.

On a typical immunization day at the health facility, Ochan, starts her workday with preparing and removing vaccines for use from the freezer before they are transferred to the immunization hall where mother and their babies wait patiently. Nebbi Hospital boosts of a functional cold room with freezers that ensure vaccines are kept safe and effective (at the right temperatures) before they are administered to the beneficiaries. 

As Ochan transports the vaccines from the cold room to the vaccination hall, they still need to remain safe and cold. To ensure this, she cushions the vaccine vials with ice packs in the vaccine carrier. She does this carefully because this guarantees their safety during the movement. UNICEF has procured and distributed vaccine carriers with ice packs and provided refrigerators for vaccine storage and movement. For vaccines to be effective, they have to be kept at the right temperatures.

Off she goes! With the vaccine carrier on her shoulder, Ochan sets off for the immunization exercise. Despite the distance between the cold room and the vaccination hall the vaccines remain safe. 

At the vaccination hall, Ochan is supported by other health workers. Ready with the vaccines, the vaccination of the little ones can now begin after registration and update of their vaccination cards.

Ochan is always thrilled when many mothers and caregivers turn up for vaccination of their children. Moving from one corner of the hall to another, Ochan administers vaccines – drops and injections as some of the babies are awoken from their sleep by the painful prick. The good news is through the pricks, the children are protected from killer diseases but preventable through vaccination. 

And since 2021, with the declaration of the pandemic and commencement of vaccination drives across the country, the vaccine carrier that Ochen carries contains COVD-19 vaccines. After inoculating the children, she moves to another shade where COVID-19 vaccination is done. As the immunization focal person, she is responsible for ensuring children and adults are protected against diseases through vaccination.