By Jane Kisha
In a first-of-its-kind public health initiative, Uganda’s freight truck drivers, under the Joint Truckers Transformation Initiative and the Alliance of Heavy Truck Drivers, have launched a nationwide Mpox vaccination campaign targeting road users and other high-risk populations.
The campaign comes amid rising Mpox cases across East and Central Africa and aims to protect vulnerable mobile populations, including truck drivers, taxi operators, boda boda riders, and sex workers, who may face increased exposure due to the nature of their work and frequent movement across communities.
According to Isaac Katabazi, Chairperson of the Joint Truckers Transformation Initiative and Acting Chairman of the Alliance of Heavy Truck Drivers, the campaign is a proactive effort to protect frontline transport workers and other groups at increased risk of infection.
“This initiative is about taking responsibility for our health and protecting our communities. When our team arrives in your district, please come forward and get vaccinated. It is the best way to protect yourself and stay safe from Mpox,” Mr. Katabazi said.
Taking Vaccination Services to Transport Communities
The campaign officially begins on Friday, 1 August 2025, starting in high-burden districts in Eastern Uganda, including Soroti, Kumi, Mbale, Tororo, Buikwe, and Bududa, before expanding to other parts of the country.
The first phase will focus on training peer educators and conducting community sensitization activities. Transport workers, border boda boda riders, and other vulnerable groups will be reached through grassroots mobilization and outreach activities along major transport corridors.
Uganda currently has 300,000 Mpox vaccine doses allocated for high-risk populations, provided through the Ministry of Health with support from global health partners.
With growing concerns about disease transmission along busy transport routes, this community-led initiative represents a new approach to public health prevention—placing transport workers at the centre of protecting communities on the move.
What Is Mpox?
Mpox is a viral disease transmitted through close physical contact. It can cause symptoms including fever, skin rashes, swollen lymph nodes, and general body weakness.
People at increased risk include individuals with frequent close-contact interactions, mobile workers, people in high-contact occupations, and those with weakened immunity.
Uganda’s Mpox Situation
By June 2025, Uganda had reported 4,810 Mpox cases and 44 deaths, with the highest number of cases recorded among people aged 24 to 39 years. Truck drivers and sex workers have been among the groups significantly affected.
The outbreak has spread across more than 38 districts, with major concentrations reported in areas including Kampala, Wakiso, and parts of Eastern Uganda. More than half of the reported deaths occurred among people living with HIV.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Africa recorded more than 21,000 Mpox cases and 91 deaths in 2025, with Uganda, Sierra Leone, and the Democratic Republic of Congo accounting for a significant proportion of reported cases as a highly transmissible strain continues to spread across East and Central Africa.
A Call for Community Protection
The Joint Truckers Transformation Initiative and the Alliance of Heavy Truck Drivers are encouraging all eligible individuals, especially transport workers and other high-risk groups, to participate in the vaccination campaign and follow public health guidance.
By combining peer education, community outreach, and vaccination, the initiative seeks to reduce Mpox transmission, protect frontline workers, and demonstrate the important role transport communities can play in strengthening public health responses.