Kampala, Uganda– The Authorities of Uganda via Ministry of Smartly being (MOH) has recognised Dr Annet Kisakye, the World Smartly being Organization (WHO) Nationwide Expert Officer (Routine Immunization) for her outstanding contributions to improving immunization services in Uganda.
The award become as soon as introduced to Dr Kisakye by Dr Sania Nishtar, Chief Government Officer of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance on 19 November 2024 in Kampala. This become as soon as during the celebration of 50 years of Uganda’s Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI).
With over 15 years of experience at WHO, Dr Kisakye has equipped technical steering and reinforce to MOH in diverse areas including strengthening routine immunization, introducing contemporary vaccines, the polio eradication initiative, eliminating measles, strengthening surveillance, eliminating maternal and neonatal tetanus including outbreak and pandemic response actions among others. Her work has straight contributed to preventing disease outbreaks and saving lives via vaccination in the country.
Dr Kisakye performed a pivotal feature in a campaign to keep lives against Cholera infection when the country started vaccinating the of us living in 13 hotspot districts as share of the nationwide integrated comprehensive cholera prevention and aid an eye on conception 2017/18-2021/22. Since then, no outbreaks possess been registered in these districts.
The reputation, according to Dr Kisakye, is a testament to the collective efforts of many devoted individuals, companions, and communities committed to improving public smartly being. She feels inspired to continue striving for a more fit future for all Ugandans.
Dr Kisakye supported the roll out of the Ebola vaccine in Uganda in 2018. She become as soon as a co-Principal Investigator, supervising over 100 of us in the extensive, pressing effort. Right here is in line with the lifestyles course manner as stipulated in the Immunization Agenda 2030. The roll out required rapidly vaccination of 6,805 at-menace smartly being workers in 13 districts between November 2018 and September 2019, racing against time to provide protection against Ebola Zaire species before any importation.
“We also needed to isolate and song four smartly being workers on the border for symptoms of suspected Ebola virus disease, to forestall possible transmission. All were already vaccinated, nonetheless it become as soon as aloof a worrying time for them. No person died or grew to turn into seriously ailing, illustrating clearly that vaccines work and keep lives,” says Dr Kisakye.
The reputation, according to Dr Kisakye, is a testament to the collective efforts of many devoted individuals, companions, and communities committed to improving public smartly being. She feels inspired to continue striving for a more fit future for all Ugandans, especially in this know-how where vaccine hesitancy—a smartly-identified world menace—is contributing to the resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases akin to measles.
Dr Kisakye’s heart aches when she sees a baby suffering from a vaccine-preventable disease, especially when vaccines and these to administer them are readily readily accessible. She advocates for Innovations to vaccinate all eligible persons.
A scientific doctor with a master’s diploma in public smartly being, Dr Annet Kisakye ran scientific wards in public and non-public hospitals in Kampala before joining WHO. She started working as Uganda’s Immunization and Surveillance Officer, expanding her portfolio over time to include diverse vaccine preventable diseases and Integrated Illness Surveillance and Response.
Congratulations to Dr Kisakye!
The WHO family proudly celebrates her richly deserved award, honouring the most notable contribution to the smartly being sector over the past Twenty years and beyond.
