Five people have been arrested in Uganda after they were found hiding their children to avoid the measles, rubella and polio mass vaccination programme.

The authorities are hoping to immunise 18 million children under the age of 15 over the next four days.

The parents were arrested from their homes in the eastern Uganda district of Kamuli after health officials were informed of their resistance to the vaccinations.

The government has said that anyone found trying to prevent their children from being vaccinated will be detained, in line with the sanctions outlined in the immunisation act.

This campaign is in response to a measles outbreak last year.

In the past, mass immunisation exercises have faced resistance from different communities such as religious groups that do not believe in vaccinations and parents who do not understand why their children have to have several different vaccinations.