A 16-year old boy, who received a Covid jab, which allegedly triggered multiple organ failures, has died.
According to close family members, Jonathan Luyinda died on Saturday and was buried yesterday at his ancestral home in Nzizi, Masaka District.
“My brother is dead, the doctors told us his heart failed, they tried to resuscitate him but unfortunately, it didn’t work,” Mr Jasper Nsubuga, Luyinda’s elder brother, confirmed to Monitor yesterday.
According to close family members, Jonathan Luyinda died on Saturday and was buried yesterday at his ancestral home in Nzizi, Masaka District.
Read: MOH investigates case of 14-year old said to have been affected by covid-19 jab
“My brother is dead, the doctors told us his heart failed, they tried to resuscitate him but unfortunately, it didn’t work,” Mr Jasper Nsubuga, Luyinda’s elder brother, confirmed to Monitor yesterday.
He had battled intense body swellings and multiple organ failure allegedly caused by the vaccine.
Read :Leave Covid vaccination of children to parents – Janet
Last month, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Health, Mr Emmanuel Ainebyoona, confirmed that they were aware of Luyinda’s case and investigations were underway to establish whether his condition was due to the vaccine or pre-existing illnesses.
Read: Oulanyah succumbed to multi organ failure -Dr Jane Ruth Aceng
Mr Ainebyoona yesterday told this newspaper that the investigations were concluded and the report would be released soon.
“Investigations were done and the report is being worked on, I can’t comment on the matter because I am not authorised to discuss the results yet. However, as soon as the report is out, the results will be communicated by the director general of Health Services,” he said.
The deceased’s mother, Ms Tendo Nalwadda, said Luyinda was in intensive care unit at Kiruddu Referral Hospital for the last 33 days before they were informed that his heart had failed.
She said he was full of hope and dreamt of being an engineer.
“We have struggled to ensure my son gets better, the family incurred all kinds of debts to get my son back to life but it has all ended in vain. Jonathan wanted to be an engineer, and I am saddened that I will never come to witness this,” she said.
Mr Nsubuga described Jonah, as they fondly called him, as a prayerful boy, who was jolly and full of life before it took a turn for the worst leading to his untimely death.
“Jonathan was a prayerful person, he loved sports, especially football, he was kind, always happy and loved school. He hated missing class and enjoyed learning something new every day, his death was unjust and totally avoidable,” he said.
The family claimed Luyinda had been vaccinated at school in the district vaccination programme spearheaded by the district health officers without their consent.
Last month, the head teacher of St Martin secondary school, Mpigi, Mr Raphael Mpagazi, confirmed that students in his school were inoculated in the district vaccination programme that targeted children between the ages of 12 and 17.
The government also banned Covid-19 vaccination in all schools across the country and advised parents who are interested in vaccinating their children to take them to hospitals and other designated centres.
Head teachers in both public and private schools were also warned against illegal Covid vaccination mandates.
Luyinda’s case was first brought to limelight during a National Economic Empowerment Dialogue press conference led by Mr Joseph Kabuleta, who among other anti-Covid vaccine activists, warned against vaccination of children. They claimed children have a naturally strong immunity and are not vulnerable to the virus.
