Mukono District Unites to End Zero-Dose Children as Stakeholders Review Immunization Progress

Mukono District leaders, health workers, community representatives, and development partners today converged at the District Board Room with a shared mission—to ensure no child in Mukono grows up without life-saving vaccines.

The quarterly performance review meeting focused on the Equity Accelerate Fund project, spare headed by Mildmay Uganda and Funded by GAVI thru PATH and Mildmay Uganda to implement the project in Mukono, Kayunga, Buikwe and Buvuuma. through the Ministry of Health to tackle the challenge of zero-dose and under-immunized children while introducing new vaccines such as the Malaria vaccine.

The session focused on assessing the progress of the Equity Accelerate Fund project, a program sponsored by Mildmay through the Ministry of Health under the UNEPI department, which began in June 2025 and will run until December 2025. The project’s main goal is to reduce the number of “zero-dose” children—those who have never received a vaccine—and under-immunized children who start but do not complete their vaccination schedule.

Speaking on behalf of Mildmay, Mr. Emmanuel Tumukugize, the project officer emphasized the importance of engaging community stakeholders in social mobilization to bridge misconceptions about immunization. He explained that the strategy is to empower religious, cultural, and community leaders with the right information so that they can sensitize their communities on why immunization is critical for every eligible child.

Mr. Tumukugize also highlighted the recent introduction of the Malaria Vaccine, administered at six, seven, and eight months, with a fourth dose given at 18 months. He praised the progress made in stakeholder engagement and activity implementation, though he acknowledged gaps in documentation at the facility level, which stakeholders agreed must be improved moving forward.

In his remarks, Dr. Stephen Mulindwa, the District Health Officer, applauded Mildmay for its continued partnership with Mukono District in strengthening immunization services. He, however, cautioned facilitators against delays in preparing participants’ allowances, noting that such delays disrupt smooth program implementation.

Dr. Mulindwa also warned health workers who neglect their duties, stressing that absenteeism risks their removal from the government payroll. He further urged health facilities to prioritize proper record-keeping and maintain cleanliness as part of service delivery standards.

• Overall, the meeting underscored the collective commitment of Mukono District stakeholders to ensure that no child is left behind in accessing life-saving vaccines. With continued collaboration and community engagement, the district aims to significantly reduce the burden of zero-dose and under-immunized children by the close of 2025.