In 2009, Jalia Tumuheirwe left her parent’s home in Kyenjojo District in Western Uganda. She wanted a new life, a new home, and a family of her own. She settled in Damasko village in Kamwenge, where she lives with her husband and their four children.  They built their home on a quarter acre of land where they had to grow crops for their survival. It was barely enough land for their activities. Jalia resorted to working on people’s farms for food and when the burden got heavier, she sold their only two goats so that they would have some money to buy food. When scarcity stretched for several years, Jalia’s hopes for a better life dimmed. 

Immunization has greatly improved child survival in Uganda and is recognized as a key lifesaving intervention. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has threatened to roll back  progress. Movement restrictions have meant that fewer patients are able to get the medical care they need, and fears of infection have made many more reluctant to go to health centers. To address these challenges, the Ministry of Health and its partners have been working to make sure that vital health services, including immunizations, continue as much as possible.