NMS to start delivering vaccines to last-mile health centres

National Medical Stores (NMS) will henceforth start delivering vaccines to the lowest health facilities across the country following the launch of the Vaccine Last-Mile Delivery program by minister of Health Dr Jane Ruth Aceng.

While NMS delivers essential medicines to the lowest health facilities, vaccines have always been delivered to the district vaccine stores. Now, the new program mandates NMS to deliver vaccines to the last mile to improve vaccine coverage in the country.

“We have been involved in the last-mile delivery of other essential medicines since 2012 but the delivery of vaccines had to take a little longer because these are specialized cold chain products,” noted NMS general manager, Moses Kamabare.

To support the program and immunization efforts, minister Aceng handed to NMS six refrigerated Land Cruisers, motorcycles, and other cold chain equipment.

“To ensure full optimization of the equipment with proper vaccine management practices…We have observed stagnation and coverage drops recently in the routine immunization coverage. With the current capacity of the program and in collaboration with district local government, we are determined to move past over 95 per cent coverage for most of the 13 antigens under routine immunization,” said minister Aceng.

The launch was held at the ministry of Health headquarters in Kampala.