Uganda has embraced the new guidelines from the World Health Organization-WHO on yellow fever vaccination.
On July 11, 2016, WHO enforced amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005), saying there is no need for a booster dose for those already vaccinated against yellow fever.
The amendment changed the period of validity of the international certificate of vaccination against yellow fever and the protection provided by the vaccine against infection from ten years to life time.
Professor Anthony Mbonye, the Director General Health Services, says they started implementing the amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) two months ago and accordingly encouraged all Ugandans who haven’t been vaccinated for yellow fever to do so since it is only once in a lifetime.
Mbonye says currently they indicate on the yellow fever certificates for life instead of ten years like the case has been in the past.
The changes by the WHO are based on recommendations by the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization. The experts conducted a scientific review and analysis of evidence on issues concerning vaccination against yellow fever in 2014.
The experts concluded that a single dose of yellow fever vaccine is sufficient to confer sustained immunity and lifelong protection against the disease.
Uganda Implements New Yellow Fever Vaccination Guidelines
