Getting Access to Vaccines in Uganda

CGPP Uganda | 12 Dec 2023

My name is Nyakong Piav, and I traveled to Elegu, Uganda, with my husband and three children. The journey was long and tiresome, but we had to endure. We left South Sudan because of the war, and I want my children to attend school.

My daughter is five months old, but she had never been vaccinated before I came to Uganda. I had heard about vaccination for children, but it’s not easy to access in my country. I could not vaccinate my child at birth because the facility I delivered from never had any vaccines. The doctors told me to try going to another faraway facility, and I couldn’t walk there, so I gave up.

When we reached Elegu, a translator said we needed to go through medical checks, and I felt relieved because there was someone who spoke the Dinka language. He explained what CGPP was doing and asked me about my children’s vaccination status, especially the baby. I informed him that I had never vaccinated her, and the translator said my baby was vulnerable to diseases like #polio and pneumonia.

He informed me that all the vaccines my baby needed were available if I agreed. I immediately decided to vaccinate her, and now I’m relieved because I know my baby girl is protected from many diseases.

After vaccination, I got a child health card, and I will ensure I continue to take my daughter to the health facility for the other vaccinations when we get to the settlement. I’m no longer worried about my child getting sick.

Other women we came with to Elegu also let their children be vaccinated, which made me more comfortable seeing that we had all agreed to do this for our children. I’m so thankful for the free medical care my family and I received from CGPP.