As the World Health Organisation (WHO) issues a fresh call for African countries to recommit to the fight against malaria, Uganda is scaling up its interventions with renewed urgency—rallying citizens to take their children for immunisation sleep under mosquito nets, pregnant mothers to take their mandatory Malaria drugs among others.
The WHO African Region’s recent post on X (formerly Twitter) highlighted the grim reality: “Malaria claims an estimated one life every minute, with most deaths occurring in the WHO African Region.”
In response to the malaria fight, Uganda has had its malaria prevention efforts through mass distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets and the rollout of life-saving malaria vaccines.
At the heart of Uganda’s anti-malaria campaign is a nationwide effort to distribute free mosquito nets to vulnerable households.
The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with development partners, has over the year distributed mosquito nets targeting vulnerable communities across all districts.
Each household receives long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs), designed to protect users from mosquito bites throughout the night—when malaria transmission is highest.
Health officials say the intervention is key to breaking the cycle of infection, particularly among children and pregnant women, who are most at risk.
In the campaign government makes sure that no household is left behind because Sleeping under a treated mosquito net is one of the most effective and affordable ways to prevent malaria.
Uganda is also among the African countries preparing to expand access to the newly approved RTS,S malaria vaccine. The vaccine, which has already shown positive results in pilot programs in countries like Ghana and Kenya, offers an additional layer of protection—especially for children under five, who account for the majority of malaria deaths.
Through support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Uganda introduced the vaccine in high-burden districts, with health workers trained and communities mobilised for vaccine uptake.
“The malaria vaccine will not replace other interventions but will complement them to reduce child mortality,” this is the message usually put out on a number of media channels to rally masses to take their children for immunisation
With WHO’s rallying call—“It’s time to recommit to ending malaria”—Uganda is responding with action on the ground, combining prevention, treatment, and community engagement.
Health experts emphasise that sustained funding, political commitment, and public awareness will be key to making malaria a disease of the past.